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#But anyway yeah! Time for Grimm magic hours!!!
daily-pure · 4 years
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What are the chances he will go in to a violent rage
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Grimm watches as Pure stands and turns to stare at him. He’s confused. He was supposed to check up on Pure today, but he didn’t expect to find the prince having a breakdown in the middle of a snowy hallway. He opens his mouth to speak.
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And immediately shuts it as his hand is slapped away? What? Pure is supposed to be a gentle soul. They don’t dissolve into violence unless ordered. That was one of these reasons the two had become friends-
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Grimm chokes in surprise, startled defenseless by the quick action. Pure is a regal royal with a love of gentle mannerisms, even when infected they limited their own power to harm as few as possible. Violent rages are unbecoming of them, no matter the situation, no matter the stakes.
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Grimm is jerked forward, the chill of Pure’s prosthetic doing nothing to help Grimm’s breathing. He frantically tries to think of something to say,
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He quickly aborts the action as Pure leans ever closer to look at Grimm, directly... Oh.
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Oh...
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He pulls the once more broken Pure into a firm hug.
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And plunges his hand into their stomach.
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He doesn’t like having to do this, but it still needs to be done.
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astaroth1357 · 3 years
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Demigod MC Series: Demeter
Have I been using this series to vicariously punish Belphie for the events of Season 1? I cannot confirm nor deny that statement.
Demigod MC Series: Intro, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hades, Dionysus, Demeter
Lucifer
Didn't think too much of the "human" when they popped out of the portal. Sure they had a straw hat and a huge basket full of produce but it wasn’t like they were… Wait… No… Were they…?
Oh no. Oh nonononono, this is not good…!!
Demeter is notoriously doting and protective of her children (see her freakout and breakdown after Hades abducted of Persephone as proof) and they've pretty much done the EXACT. SAME. THING. here!!
It was a mad scramble by him and Diavolo to contact and appease their godly Mother Bear before she came roaring down to Devildom herself to turn them all into barley. Thankfully, Zeus must have intervened at some point because though she was indeed PISSED, she didn't threaten to barge in… yet.
She made one thing very clear. Bend so much as a single hair on her precious child's head and there would be WAR…
The MC received a 24 hour security detail after that. Just Mammon wasn't going to cut it, he needed NO chances. It was a full rotation of Mammon, him and Beel for the entirety of their stay (Asmo and Levi both threw hissy fits at the prospect of babysitting, Satan couldn’t be trusted not to kill them just to irritate him, and Belphie was out for… obvious reasons).
In some ways, it wasn’t so bad. The MC was a very mild sort of person, rather even tempered. He’d dare say they were pleasant, mostly content to just tend to their gardens and be out in the moonlight…
But the problem was, he just could not convince them to stay OUT of nature. Including the forests, which were full of hellish beasts fully intent on gnawing their flesh from their bones… and their specialty was plants, not animals, sooo…
Their habit of sneaking out to wander the woods got so bad that he very nearly considered pulling a Belphie 2 and locking them in the basement for their own good. But Devil knows what damage their mother would do if she found out…
At least they make for pleasant company… And Diavolo seems to like them quite a bit himself so the mortal gets a pass from him. Now if they’d only consider their own safety for a change…
Mammon
They make him a KILLING.
Like, no seriously. Their produce is insane!! He’s never tasted food so good, especially stuff that’s come fresh from the ground! It only took a few berries for Mammon to throw on a straw hat himself and start harvesting! He’s a farmer now, baby!!
Weeellll not quite. He’s still absolutely only in it for the money, but anything he brings to a farmer’s market goes so fast that he can hardly care about the labor! He’s never made this much Grimm in his life!! And it’s totally legit for a change!
He bought himself another car, paid off half of his debt, and even got Levi back that 2 or 3 grand he leant him centuries ago. Really, Mammon’s living his best life and it’s all thanks to MC!
It’s a good thing his blatant grifting doesn’t hurt his relationship with them at all, in fact they seem to enjoy having his help regardless. They bring him drinks on hot days or invite him on picnics and stuff, it’s… it’s really sweet. They’re very nice to him and he appreciates it…
But… COULD YA JUST STAY PUT ALREADY???
It drives him INSANE that they won’t stay out of dangerous places!! After he started caring about them for more than just a meal ticket it only got even worse!!
He’s not usually one for monitoring someone’s every move (that kind of control freak behavior is more a Lucifer thing) but he eventually had to set up familiars around the House just to keep them from sneaking out at night...
What was so interesting out there anyway?? There wasn’t any kind of plant that he could bring them himself! They didn’t have any need to be out there!! 
They’d keep telling him they’d be fine but it’s not like he’s going to actually buy that. They were too… nice to be dangerous or anything so why would he believe them?
No more running off, MC! Please, he’s beggin’ ya!!
Leviathan 
Wait, gardening? Like, being outdoors and stuff? Ew. No thanks, he’ll pass.
That was more or less his first reaction when they showed up and it never really got much better than that…
He admits that they’re friendly and it’s not like he dislikes them or anything, but their thing so far from his thing that they just don’t have a lot in common… you know?
For starters, they get So. Antsy. when they’re inside for too long! He tried to invite them to a marathon once, but they could hardly keep still and kept looking around like they were searching for a window… He said, “to jump out of.” They insisted just for some fresh air, but he didn’t buy it...
They’re nice enough to listen to his rants, but they’re barely ever inside for him to do so and like HELL is he going to leave his room and stand around out there for that long. Ranting is at least a one to two hour engagement! What if he gets hot out there? And have you SEEN Devildom bees?? Hell no!!
He has, however, asked them on multiple occasions to reproduce flowers he’s seen in different anime, especially ones that have a very unique look and they’ve done some real wonders with that!
He can now claim to be the only person to ever own a Ruby-Jade Vine plant, straight from the pages of TSL when it was used to brew tea for the Lord of Lechery during his brief illness and-is anyone even still listening anymore?
The point is, it’s a flower so rare it was imaginary but now HE has it!... or had it for about a week until his utter incompetence of all things plant killed it…
He begged the MC for another but they were out of the plants they needed to make it and would have to go back to the human world to find more… He’s still mourning his loss… Poor Henry 4.0…
Satan
Well… He’s called this MC “salt of the Earth” and he does truly mean it. Take of that what you will.
He doesn’t get much in the way of intellectual conversation out of this mortal UNLESS he’s talking about plants, farming, or botany… Interesting topics and complex in their own right to be sure, but that’s pretty much their wheelhouse and they like it there.
That being said, the feats that they can perform are genuinely mind-blowing! They are the ONLY person he has ever met who can cultivate the Devildom’s own ultra-rare Phantom Orchid, a plant only blooms when it reaches a perfect state of undeath (i.e. both taken care of and neglected just enough so that it's only barely alive. The balance is so tricky to master that one hasn’t bloomed down there for centuries!)
There’s also something just genuinely relaxing about watching them work or helping them in the gardens… More so than he’d ever expected from such a simple activity.
He admits that he’s taken quite a few strolls through the flower-filled courtyard of the Demon Lord’s Castle just to admire its beauty... But anything that they can grow just blows all of that out of the water!
They even taught him several magic botanical techniques so now he can grow some pretty mad plants himself. Lucifer never expected to find that giant Venus Flytrap in his closet, but one was there regardless. 😏
Just… out of curiosity one day, he asked the MC if they could make him a new kind of catnip. Not for any nefarious reason! You know… just for research purposes…
The nip they made was so effective that the House grounds were FILLED with nipped-up cats for a whole month! He was in Heaven!! (and Lucifer practically wiped those plants from existence so he couldn’t get any more… asshole...)
That must have inspired them because they apparently made a demons-only version that they told him about WELL after the fact. Had he known, he probably would have burned the stuff on principle... Do you know how dangerous demon-nip could be to them? Experiment responsibly, MC!
Asmodeus 
Ehhhh, gardening SOUNDS like one of those things that should be super Devilgram-able, but then you realize how sweaty and dirty you get in the process and it’s a huge turn off… Sorry MC.
When they first came down to the Devildom, he thought two things: 1) Such a sweet little flower child, as adorable as they were, would never survive; and 2) even if they could, he would never ever see eye-to-eye with them on the “wonders” of getting all up in the dirt.
Well, he was right about 2, but certainly not 1. Personally, he thinks his brothers worry about them too much, they ARE still a demigod.
At one point he saw a pack of hellhounds almost trample one of their vegetable gardens and they lost it. Word to the wise, never try to take on a child of Demeter in their own garden. Those hounds were wrapped up in rose vines before they could even yelp...
Yeah, the MC would be fine.
That being said, while everybody else clamors over their produce, he thinks that their flowers are really where it’s at!
Taking just five minutes in one of their gardens is something else... He’s never seen blossoms as healthy and immaculate in all the Devildom before! Their beauty could (almost) rivals his own! What they do isn’t just a hobby, it’s an art.
He’s taken multiple pictures with their blossoms and they go viral every time. It’s so rare to actually see gorgeous, petal-filled flowers in the Devildom, most of the native plants are of the man-eating variety.
His only complaint about this MC is that they seem to feel much more at home in work clothes and dirt than they do in any sort of party-look he tries to give them… Cute as they are, they can afford to gussy up sometimes can’t they? Mud and grass stains don’t make for a good look, sorry.
Beelzebub 
Beel gardens and the MC gardens as well. Add on that they seem to be able to grow all manner of fruits and veggies and he likes this one. A lot.
They had just finished apple-picking when the portal nabbed them so they had a massive basket of apples at the time. Naturally, Beel more or less stole the thing on sight, but the apples inside were so juicy and good that he almost shook them down for more on the spot!
Imagine his surprise when they, half pleadingly, explained to him that if he got them some seeds they could just grow more… and it wouldn’t even take that long.
To be clear, the formula he saw was this: Get seeds > bring seeds to mortal > mortal grows seeds > mortal makes endless supply of food….
Congratulations MC, you’ve now earned the sixthborn’s eternal loyalty after a grand total of… two minutes. He didn’t even know their name, but he was willing to take a bullet for them (provided he got more of those apples).
The next several months were spent with Beel attached to them to the hip in some way, but honestly? It was just so wholesome anyway…
If he’s helping in the garden, he never complains. He does most of the heavy lifting and actually likes being out there with them (unlike others...)
Many afternoons were spent sitting under fruit trees and talking. Sometimes, they go to the trouble of preparing a picnic or something but it would always inevitably end with Beel plucking the whole tree clean of whatever ripe (or unripe) fruit he can get his hands on with a smile. 
The MC never minded though. That’s just another excuse to grow more, right?
His only problem was when the MC would sneak out to the forest… especially when they get too antsy and just go alone. 
He HATES it when they do that! How is he supposed to keep them safe if they just wander off?? He knows that they have a special connection to nature and all, but it isn’t safe…
He’s flown in and scooped them back up to the House on numerous occasions and his “talking tos” get sterner after every rescue... Please stay put, MC! He’d have so many reasons to be sad if you were eaten… 😔
Belphegor 
Okay, he was looking for a capable, if not gullible, human. Not a shoeless flower hippy!
He honestly wasn't expecting much out of this one... Damn their little heart because they did genuinely believed his lies, it’s just that they weren't… well… They were really good at gardening.
… And it grew kind of hard to keep hating them whenever they'd show up just to give him fresh berries or a bouquet to see him smile… He may claim that his heart is made of nightmares and orphan tears, but who doesn’t enjoy being given a batch of flowers? 
Damn their sweetness too… Right to here.
When it came time to kill them he had a heavier heart than he thought he would, but kind of saw it like putting down the sacrificial lamb. Gotta be done to reach better goals... Stiff upper lip and all that.
Unfortunately for him, they had taken to carrying packets of demon-nip with them as a self-defense measure…
He wasn’t exactly sure what he expected when they shouted “Get nipped!” at him mid-attack, but it wasn’t a face full of some smelly herb! Like, really smelly…! Actually, that smelt kind of good… Hold on.
Turns out murderous rage really doesn’t last long after you get what is effectively ultra-strong catnip thrown in your face. They ended up having to go and tell Lucifer what happened themselves because Belphie was way too blissed out on the floor to do anything... They were legitimately worried they might have fried his brain...
He’s told the effects of the demon-nip lasted three days. He doesn’t know, because he hardly remembers any of it... They described him as like he was high on “weed” and “ecstasy” at the same time but he doesn’t know what either of those are either so it wasn’t helpful…
Truthfully, they were so nice to him while he was recovering that he couldn’t even be mad afterwards so all's well that ends well? Either way, he’s sleeping under their orchard trees from now on. It’s peaceful out there...
They burnt all that nip though. It’s some strong stuff...
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CW. LONG POST for the immortal!mc... I see lady yuu having a personality like toph from "Avatar the last Airbender". People are careful around her do to her status and doesn't know why she likes to hang around adeuce and grimm, but she likes how open they're around especially when grimm calls her "his henchmen".
Immortal!mc: *has been calling grimm for an hour* GRIMM!
Grimm: *ignores her*
Mc: *sigh* *dramatically* Oh the great and powerful grimm lord of flames
Grimm:*smugly* hmm~yes~
Sebek: *windows exp crashing noises*
Has a Harry Potter the Half Blood Prince moment in alchemy class.
Mc: *reading potion text book* *under her breath* cut up the moon bloom? You crush the moon bloom *notice a lot incorrect information in the text book* CREWEL!
Crewel: *walks over* yes mistress yuu?
Mc: You let these children brew these potions incorrectly? I hope they haven't been drinking them!
Crewel: with all due respect mistress yuu the information in the book is correct i can assu-
Mc: I know you're not telling ME of all people the steps in the potion book is correct?
Crewel: *gulps*
Mc: you crush not cut the moon blooms and you use the blue spider mushroom and not the yellow puff ball mushroom! And the final product should be yellow and not a lilac color!
I see her having a staff or something of the like and it has everyone confused because 'she doesn't have magic' yeah she doesn't have magic but she likes to uses it like a walking stick. She likes to watch the students with Ashton during P.E occasionally hit them with her staff.
Immortal!mc: *bonks student* No your form is all wrong! *shows them correct form* DO IT AGAIN!
Somedays when Trein wants to grade papers he'll have immortal!mc tell stories of her youth, she tells the a story of a flying ship with a captain with a hook for a hand, a medicine woman of a young emperor and her ditzy henchmen, a shady voodoo man she met at a tavern, and a woman just as old as her who kidnapped a princess to keep herself young.
During chapter 5 vil catches her in the mirror chamber one day and askes her about the mirror the beautiful queen.
Mc: *walks up to the mirror of darkness, touches the side resting her head on the frame of the mirror* It's been a long time my old friend
Mirror of darkness: *appears* I you my friend I you...
Everyone in the mirror chamber: 👀👀👀
Vil: *in shock and awe* ᵂʰᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘᵘᶜᵏ..
During chapter 6 Vil comes to yuu during vdc training camp and askes her questions about her relationship with the mirror of darkness.
Vil: Miss yuu can I ask you about the mirror.. again?
Mc: *puts down her tea* oh yes! I never did answer your questions earlier
Mc: long ago I heard whipers in a village that a house deep in the forest lived a very handsome man who had magic... he had a daughter a real daddies girl.. I found her odd at first as she'd ask him everyday if she was beautiful and he'd reply 'the fairest in the land'
Rook: *knows where this is going*
Mc: but like most people around that time he became sick. One day me and the girl went around the forest collecting herbs for his medicine... when we came back he gone all that was left was a pile of his clothes and a mirror..
Kalim: *blinking back tears* then what happened 🥺
Mc: the poor thing was inconsolable.. she locked herself in her father's room and refused to comeout. Though I should have told her but I found a letter from him, detailing what he had done.
Deuce: *on the edge of his seat* them what
Mc: he used the rest of his magic to turn himself into a mirror for his daughter.. i'd seen that once before when I stayed the night at a beasts castle, but thats a story for another time.
Vil: was the girl you speak of the beautiful queen?
Mc: yes her name Grimhilde... in his letter he asked if I could look over his daughter make sure she lived a happy and long life... though I feel I failed him.
KINGDOM HEARTS HAPPENS AND YOU CANNOT WILL NOT CHANGE MY MIND!
When yuu has the prophetic dreams before overblot and she's mickey in the mirror
Mc: *notices a shadow in the mirror above the fireplace* that shape seems oddly familiar...
Mirror figure: Aha
Mc: *eyes widen* KING MICKEY
Mickey:*in shock aswell* YUU!
The first years remind her of Sora and Co. and catches herself reminiscening about them. They don't know what to do when they catch her crying.
Ace: M-Mc! Are you okay?
Sebek: WHO DARES MAKE LADY YUU CRY I'LL HAVE THEIR HEADS!
Grimm: *rubbing against yuu worried* henchmen?
Mc: No no.. I'm fine it's just you six remind me of some people I knew years ago.
During history trein asks mc about the great war and if she knew the inside scoop on why it started.
Mc: which one? there have been many
Trien: many..? I know only of one..
Mc: yes! There was the first keyblade war, the first human-fae war, Chernabog's war, the inter-species war, the second keyblade war and the second human-fea war.
Lila: *who came to drop off some papers* two human-fae wars..?
Mc: oh Lila! Yes the first one is when I crowned Maleficent as queen and the second one happend when a close friend of hers betrayed her...there was to be a third on but the human queen that started it was turned into a goat
Trein: keyblade war?
Mc: when magic was just becoming accepted..*clears her throat* it was revealed that there was a secret society of heros who wielded keyblades. It was believed there was a world where all magic come from.
Ace: are there still people who have keyblades?
Mc: no.. the hearts of people to day are to dark..
Deuce: to dark..?
Mc: back then people hearts where pure, why? The keyblade wielders protect people from the darkness. The people believed in a world where all from, only the Wilders could access the world.
Trein: *writing every thing down* what was this place called?
Mc: Kingdom Hearts... but as most stories go all of them wanted control over the world, but they needed the X-blade this caused a war of cataclysmic proportions. It pushed the world into darkness and killed many and shattered the x-blade and scattered across the world... kingdom hearts was to be forever lost.
Scarabia mob: you where alive during all that!?
Mc: no, but a close friend of mine was, but I was alive during the second
Sorry for my rambling and if i broke any of the rules during this feel free to delete of so.. but This is where I'm gonna stop as I've been typing this up for the past hour or so.. 🙇🏽‍♀️🙇🏽‍♀️
No rules have been broken (I didnt have very much anyway lol)
I really like this whole post lol though unfortunately I have not seen kingdom hearts so idk a lot of references here
Also Yuu does carry a staff in formal occasions. Lilia made joke on her saying she looked like an old woman with that but was promptly shut up when Yuu recalled a story of Lilia when he was younger
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razorblade180 · 3 years
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Twin Snowflakes 27:Hill climbing preparations
Part 26 here!<-
Rehearsals were going well. With Darren out of mind and no further incidents, students had gotten back into a steady blow of progress. The band was a little shaky at first but Summer had learned that Nick had a point about her being a bit strict in the beginning. With that hurdle jumped, Summer felt comfortable enough to take a short break. Her feet swung from over the stage's edge like a kid on a swing while she took a moment to call Oscar. It had been a few days since their last check in date. The fact that he didn’t blow her fun up meant his own hands were full. Fortunately, two rings was all it took before his face popped up on her screen, covered in what was hopefully seawater.
“Hi Oscar! Ummm sea life treating you will? You look a little…”
“Wet? Sigh, I can’t believe I’m saying this but I miss the cold of the tundra. All the storms and aquatic grimm yanking me off the boat is getting annoying. Anyways, Penny told me you had a little scare recently? Everything okay?”
“Yes, I think.” Summer rubbed her face. “Well…as okay as things usually get. I do feel better than usual. I’ve gotten to perform quite a bit the last couple days.”
“Really? Did you take my advice by any chance?”
A guilty smile found its way on Summer’s face. She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Nah. I’ve just been singing a couple of covers and a few originals that anyone with a radio has heard. The lyrics in the journal are just that, in the journal. I actually wanted to talk to you about a trick Nick got me to try. You’ve actually mentioned it once before early on.”
“Is that so- woah!” Oscar yelped, nearly falling from the rock of the ship crashing through a wave. “Hehe. Sorry about that!”
“Everything okay over there? I can call later?”
“No it’s fine; just rough seas. That’s good though. Challenging waves and other harsh weather factors have been swelling for quite some time. You’re too young to remember this but Atlas was actually a bit warmer. Hot places were cooler and sailing wasn’t as wild.”
“I’ve heard about that in class. Don’t scientists think it might have something to do with magic being back?”
“Or the gods roaming through Remnant.” He smirked, confident about the latter theory. “Harsh conditions mean it’s difficult to press forward. As if the world itself is trying to keep things away. With a little luck, passing these hurdles are all the answers we need.”
Answers. Summer couldn’t begin to imagine having those. It was more terrifying than reliving if she had to be honest. She wouldn’t know what to do if the gods themselves didn’t know what to do. The only thing worse is them saying she couldn’t do anything.
“Let’s cross our fingers you aren’t on a boat for nothing. Speaking of Shiva, Nick talked me into entering my headspace willingly. I was even able to manifest a shovel in it!”
“A shovel?” Oscar quirked his head.
“Yeah it wasn’t the usual blue empty space. It waslake; the lake as a matter of fact. I chucked a shovel at Shiva and told her to start digging her grave.”
“Nick told you to do that!?”
“Weeeeeeell… he only told me to confront her with unwavering resolve in a way Veronica would. I’m pretty sure that meant being cut throat but I may have defaulted to cock intimidation. Pretty sure I stoked the flames of war. But it felt good!”
The cheerfulness in her tone was genuine. While manifesting and confrontation was something Oscar had tried to get her to do early on, there are ways to go about it. Headspace or not, poking at a beast was always risky. “I’m glad you’re feeling good, but exercise caution. I wouldn’t try that alone. There’s a lot we don’t know about that space. I doubt you can actually die there but if that really is your mind you're traversing then serious backlash might happen if things go wrong. Remember, Shiva has an edge. Don’t let her play you in your own head.”
“Believe me, that’s the last thing I want. I’ll be careful Oscar. Thanks for worrying about me. Couldn’t ask for a better therapist”
“I wouldn’t go that far. Ruby and your dad give some pretty solid motivational speeches.”
Hehe, don’t sell yourself short. I should probably get going. Good luck! Watch the gods tell you to perform an exorcism or drown me in sacred water.”
Oh if only it was that easy. “If she had any signs of a soul I would’ve tried that already. Take care Summer. Call me when you need me”
“You know I will.” She hung up and looked over at Nick. A few of the girls had taken the opportunity to strike up a conversation with him. In typical fashion, Nick just let them fawn in vain. “Geez, take a hint ladies.” She mumbled.
“Oh my gods! I wasn’t aware you could sing!”
“So talented!”
“Can you sing for my birthday!?”
All the back chatter and compliments made it hard to focus on one person. Nick did his best to calm them all, giving a faux laugh and smile. “Hehe, thanks. I can hold a note, I’m not as good as my sister, and I’m way too sheepish to sing at a birthday. Now we should probably get back to working maybe? Practice is almost-” his eyes caught the door entrance before he finished. Valerie had walked in.
As if by will, her head automatically turned to meet his eyes. Valerie couldn’t help but give some kind of disarming smile, giving a small wave that was quickly rejected when Nick went back talking to the people around him. Not even Valerie could deny that burn. She put her hand down before she felt anymore like an edit, walking over to Eliza to get what she had to do over with.
“Hey soldier.”
“Huh? Well look who finally decided to show! I expect more from a representative of this school.”
“Oh brother…” Val couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I’m not even gonna pretend that I’m sorry like I usually do. Look, at least I did what was asked of me. Boiler is fixed for now and there should be no problem getting hot water when the big day arrives.”
“Keep a keen eye on it just in case. I don’t have any time to deal with tiny problems during the tournament.”
“Yeah you and everyone else in this room. Now if you excuse me.” Valerie pointed both thumbs back and tried backing up slowly.
“Hold on…”
“Uuugh. Yes? I got plenty of practice to work on. Make this quick.”
Eliza narrowed her eyes. “Wow, someone is more aggressive than usual. If that’s how you’re going to be then I’ll spare you the lecture. Just know you better be careful or I might pull the rug out from under you this year.”
“Hmph, bold words. You gotta make it to the top of the hill before challenging the ruler. Though you’re more than welcome to kick Nick around and take his spot for all I care. See ya. Just text me the meeting information. Got things to do.” Valerie turned around and headed off. On the way out she saw Summer staring at her with a raised eyebrow from afar. To make matters worse, the cheerleaders moved by the exit. Veronica being among them. Valerie was ready for some kind of sly comment but to her surprise Veronica briefly acknowledged her, nodded, and then went back to what she was doing.
Eliza looked at the time and figured everyone made enough progress for one day. “Alright everyone! You can all start wrapping things up. I’m sure all of you have things to-” the sound of everyone packing their belongings overpowered her voice. “Do.” She finished. At least she could trust everyone to clean up on time. “Nicholas, get your butt in gear.”
“Oh thank goodness!” Nick wasted no time squeezing his way through the girls that lingered around him. “Sorry! The VP calls! Let’s go Summer!”
“Right behind you.” She turned towards the band. “It would be a good idea for you all to practice a little longer. Not because you may or may not need it but because I’ll finally give you room to experiment. Just no funny ideas about adding drum solos.” Summer hopped off stage and headed off, quickly catching up to Nick, Eliza, and Veronica. “Well aren’t we an interesting looking bunch?”
“An idol, witch, heir, and fashion designer. This is the beginning of a bad joke I’d say.”
“Bold of you to call someone a witch when they’ve agreed to help you train.”
“Would you prefer magical girl, or maybe sorceress?” Nick nudged her.
“I prefer my name. However…sorceress is endearing, I suppose.”
“I could call you that while you teach me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” She said in a shrill voice. “I’m already regretting this.”
“Well while you two train to death, I’m finally going to get some real shut eye. I can hear my bed calling my name already.”
“Not so fast.” Veronica interjected. “Since we ended up being free at the same time and I have to work a little more diligently…”
Summer didn’t like where this was headed. “Veronica, my hot headed designer, I’m well aware of what it’s like to be a perfectionist. However, please don’t rope me into this.”
All three of them looked at her at once. “It’s your dress!”
“I know that! No need to remind me! I am tired though. It’s Monday, the weekend was crazy, and I just put in a full day of school with extra curricular activities. Allow me two hours at least!?”
“Ugh, ever the whiner. Fine but I don’t want to hear any complaints about design. Most would be thrilled to be heavily involved with their clothing.”
“Well consider this a show of good faith towards your skills.”
The four of them continued to talk all the way to the manor. Eliza tried to stay on important topics while Nick did his best to keep things casual. It never really worked out considering Summer's insistence to not help her dear brother and Veronica’s curiosity about events to come. It was only when the girl’s feline ears twitched by the gate did she begin to quiet down.
“Hmmm?” She stopped immediately.
“Huh? What’s wrong Vee-”
“ACHOO!!!” The girl yelled. The sneeze was so strong Veronica lifted off the ground slightly. “Phew…sorry about that.” She sniffled her loss and continued walking like nothing happened, leaving everyone confused. Veronica was the first to enter with everyone lagging a bit behind. Her eyes looked around until they spotted her mother, Blake, coming down the stairs in casual clothes and wet hair.
“Hey everyone! Finally home I see? And with a friend?”
“Uh classmate. I wouldn’t exac…ummm that’s not important. Hehe, I’m Eliza Marigold.” She stammered. It didn’t really dawn on her that she’d be meeting Mrs. Belladonna herself today. “You look lovely. Though…you look a little red? Are you sick?”
“Oh it’s nothing! Just umm got out of the shower is all.”
Veronica’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s ma?”
“Out back with Jaune.”
“Really?”
“One hundred perfect!” Blake said, unusually preppy. “Well I don’t keep you kids held up. I’ll be in the living room. Nick, Summer, I think your mother is in the garden.”
“Cool. She must be setting up the candle test already. Follow me Eliza.” Nick took her hand and guided her.
“Think I’ll get lost or something?”
“No, I just don’t need you judging every inch of this place until you find something to criticize.”
“……It’s too bright in here.” She heard Nick snicker at her attempt. “You suck.”
With those two out of the way it was time for Summer to mosey to her room. “Finally, nap time!”
“Don’t you wanna practice too?”
“What they’re doing is something I already know. Besides, Nick and I do most of our practices separate. He’ll get me when he needs me. Wake me up if you need anything.”
Veronica waited for the girl to get out of sight before giving her mom a look meant to inspire shame and embarrassment. “Really? We’ve been out all day ya know? You had plenty of time.”
Blake put her hand over Veronica’s face. “Shush your face. It happens sometimes. Thank you for the heads up.”
“Y’all are gross but that’s nothing new. I won’t mention it again if you could bring dinner up to my room. I’m gonna be spending quite some time in there.”
“Even across the world I guess some habits don’t change. Deal.”
xxxxx
In the garden, Weiss stood on the balcony with a cup of coffee. The sound of footsteps behind her caught her ear. She was more than a little surprised to learn that they belonged to not just Nick. “Eliza?”
“Mrs. Schnee. Thank you for allowing me in your home.” Eliza gave a curtsy.
“How’s your father?”
“Oh you know him, always up to something.”
Weiss wasn’t sure if that was good or bad considering his track record. “I see. Well make yourself comfortable. Nick, everything is already set up. Never would’ve thought this is how you’d try to get this done. Don’t push yourself.”
“Heh, push myself? Me?”
Weiss playfully rolled her eyes and left the balcony, ruffling Nick’s hair on the way out. Nick looked at Eliza confused. “You know you don’t have to be so formal around her, right?”
“Let’s not focus on my speech and pay attention to why we’re here. Anyways, how does this training work exactly?”
Nick walked to the railing to point at the fifteen candles spread throughout the garden. “The goal is to light all the candles at once without burning anything. It’s harder than it looks. It requires timing, speed, accuracy, and control above all.”
“Never took you for one who cares much for traditional methods of fighting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use your glyphs to manipulate the elements.”
“Yeah, because I suck. Summer on the other hand…” He hunched over in defeat. “Not so much.”
Eliza couldn’t help but scan the area multiple times. This couldn’t be all there was to it. Could it? The five candles in the actual hedge maze looked a little challenging, but Nick was…Nick! Despite her reservations about his attitude, he was smart and knew how to work.
“Do you increase the candle amount as you go?”
He nodded. “That’s the natural progression. Summer can do thirty without thinking much about it.”
“Meanwhile you can’t even do half that amount. You sure you’re the older twin?”
“I don’t see how that’s relevant.” He pouted. Nick grabbed his sword and got into his low stance.
“So I’m just supposed to observe you?”
“No. I’m going to need help with the fires too.”
That’s not something she wanted to hear. “Tsk, alright. But first, let me see if I’m able to do it. Wouldn’t be that good of a teacher if I couldn’t.”
She climbed on top of the railing to get a better look. She raised her right hand to the sky and took a breath. Five flames ignited her fingertips as she thought of the best approach. Moments later, Eliza launched all five with a downward swing, another five swing left, then the final five to the right. Each flame danced on the winds below them before finding their targets.
Amazed, Nick’s jaw dropped for a second before saying anything. “First try!?”
“Not exactly. You did say all at once so that may have been cheating. Let me try again.” She wrapped both arms around herself then swung them out, causing a gust of wind that blew out the candles.
Nick watched closely. Breathing, posture, line of sight; anything he could to gain knowledge. Eliza cuffed her hands together. A small flame flickered into existence and grew slowly until it was the size of a baseball. Eliza threw it over the garden underhanded. The moment it reached max height she pushed her hands downwards like if she closed a lid. This made the flame split apart into embers that fell quick enough to reach each candle. Nick couldn’t believe she was two for two.
“Seems I got the hang of it.” Eliza blew the candles out and hopped off the railing. “I’d do it while off the railing but I’m positive we know the results.”
“Yeah no kidding. While I’m lucky I picked the right person to help me, doing that so easily kinda stings. Not gonna lie. You really are a sorceress.”
“Tsk, flattery gets you nowhere. Assume your stance.” She ordered. Eliza kept a close eye on Nick. He opted to square his feet with his shoulders, a sturdy stance for sure. “So far so good.” His blade pointed up and outwards. A red glyph began to form at its tip, conjuring a ball of intense flame that was as big as a softball. Eliza’s eyes narrowed. She could not believe what she was watching. “You’ll miss.”
“Huh?” Nick said, trying to focus.
“If you shoot the fireball then you are going to miss.” Eliza channeled a silver orb in her palm that bursted into shimmering light. Nick’s glyph suddenly vanished and took the fireball along with it.
“Hey! Don’t just negate my semblance out of the blue! I didn’t even shoot it yet!”
Eliza wasn’t sure what she had expected from this training. It was clear now why a talented person like Nick was fumbling. Frankly, it was annoying. Down right inexcusable. Eliza folded both her arms. “You’re so idiotic in the strangest ways possible, you know that right? To think you’re stronger than me?”
Nick huffed. This wasn’t constructive at all. “You gonna actually help, or continue to insult me? If I knew how to do this on my own then I wouldn’t ask for help.”
Nick ran his hand through his tangled hair and let out a sigh. Eliza could tell he genuinely had no idea what was wrong. It kinda got to her. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be picking on you like that. You weren’t wrong to ask for help.”
“Normally I have an inkling of how to progress but I’m hitting a wall. All of this is just…”
“Too much?” Eliza leaned over and thumped his head. “Because it is. That’s exactly your problem. You are doing far too much at once. Why are you trying to do so many steps at the exact same time?”
“What do you mean at the exact same time? All I did was make a fireball.”
Eliza could feel her eye try to twitch. “Okay. I should’ve expected that from you. Guess I’ll teach by showing.” She stood beside Nick and made a flame. “See? Now this is as basic as it gets, just straight up fire. A fireball requires controlling the shape of the flame;maintaining its heat as well.” The flame swirled around itself to make just that.
“Okay? I’m following you so far.”
“If a fireball was all you were making then no big deal. However, I just saw you attempt to make a fireball that has to keep its shape, burn hot enough, long enough, and must be aimed at multiple targets at once. No mind can do all that on a dime. It’s simply too much.”
Nick watched Eliza move behind him, putting her arms right on top of his, guiding his movements as if she was holding his blade. Her chin rested on his shoulder to get a clear line of sight. Nick was no stranger to being led through an attack, but man was it weird to have Eliza this close!
“Ummm…”
“Bear with it and focus.” She uttered, trying not to yell in his ear. “Make a flame. Just a flame. Let it heat swell and dissipate in sync with my breathing.”
“Shouldn’t it be with my own?”
“Not when your heart is beating like a drum. To think Nicholas Schnee would lose composure from a girl touching him?”
“Can’t hear you, focusing.” He was trying anyway. Eventually he managed to slow his heartbeat. He could tell Eliza was taking deep breaths on purpose to help. In sync, he made another fire glyph as she ordered.
“Good, now make it as hot as you want, then make it into a ball.” The flame shaped into the size of a baseball this time. Eliza smiled. “See how easy it is to control the size after you’ve completed the previous steps? You’ll save dust this way.”
“What’s next?”
“Aiming. You already know where your targets are but you also aren’t in a rush. If you need time to make a shot then all you have to do is make the time.” Eliza raised Nick’s sword higher in the air. “Launch it into the air, confirm where you need the fire to hit, then guide the flames to it.”
Nick took a deep breath and launched the fireball ball in an arch over the garden. He waited for it to reach the middle and fall briefly before making it burst into smaller flames that hit the candles. Eliza finally let go so he could pump his fist into the air.
“Woohoo!”
“Don’t celebrate yet, but good job. A moving target would be harder but not impossible. Repetition will allow you to eventually group certain steps together without having to think about it. You’ll get used to making fireballs that are a certain size and speed as long as you allow yourself to process each step as you are now. I noticed you let the fireball fall. Why?”
“I always end up not lighting them all because the fire dies too quickly. I realized the flame wasn’t hot enough the moment I shot it, so I let it get closer to the candles before having to split it up. Good thing you told me to aim higher or I may not have noticed.
“He can process things like that but not realize breaking the steps up will make things easier? How does his brain work!?”
Another gust of wind blew the candles out. “I’m willing to help you further but I think it’s time you held up your end of this bargain.”
“Antsy, aren’t we? Fair enough.” Nick put his sword down and sat on the railing. “What I’m about to tell you is going to make your tournament life a hundred times simpler. This is your second King of The Hill. Remember the rules?”
“Of course I do.” She followed his lead and sat down as well. “All previous tournament and combat skills leading up to the tournament are calculated so they can rank you compared to the other contestants. In order to progress higher you must defeat the person directly above you in the rank to switch places. Those who win are rewarded a reprieve from being challenged immediately to decrease rematches, but the loser can be challenged by whoever is directly below them. Conversely, if you challenge a person and lose, then you have to wait a set period before trying again while defending your current spot. The entire tournament is on a time limit that tests endurance, strategy, and the skills you’ve used all year. The winner is whoever is ranked number one by the end; the king of the hill.”
“Correct! It’s pure chaos. However, you forgot an important thing. You’ve participated once and managed to get third, so that’s automatically where you start.”
Eliza’s eyes lit up. “That’s a rule!?”
“Yep. As long as you still participated in prior tournaments this year, which you have. Congratulations on skipping the taxing part. Now you’re in the grueling section. The only way you go up is through me and Valerie. A slip up could cause you to waste too much energy and that could drag you out of third if you lose or even win against me immediately, because if I get challenged and win, then I can challenge you again before you challenge Valerie or after you hypothetically lose to her. Let that sink in for a moment.”
Eliza could feel her heart drop to her stomach. If she were to beat Nick and lose to Valerie then at best she’s at a third of her strength for a rematch she doesn’t want. Beating Nick was a goal but she didn’t need to do it twice in a day! The worst part is she is at his mercy in this scenario; getting a reprieve only if he needs one. He could very well best her and then she’s even more tired defending third place.
“Is it sinking in? Third place is its own special hell. Let’s knock Valerie into it.” He smiled.
“And how do we manage that exactly?”
“By knocking me into it! I want to take a dive in our match. A good one. The two of us will put on a spectacle to show our might that ends with me losing. This will throw everyone off into thinking you are exceptionally strong and-”
“Are you saying I’m not!” She folded her arms.
Nick chuckled nervously. “Let me finish before you get upset. Yes, you're strong, but will think you’re stronger than me by a decent margin. This is where the mind games kick in because the two of us haven’t actually used that much energy, but the other contestants don’t know that.”
Eliza rubbed her chin. “You…want them to fight you?”
“Exactly. No one's gonna pass up the opportunity to get a leg up on me. You know that better than anyone. Unfortunately for them, I’ll actually be trying against them and I fully intend to go end them quickly. This does multiple things. It makes the gap between the top three look bigger, allows me to stir the lower ranks rotation, keeps you rested, and makes Valerie anxious because you will not immediately challenge her. We are going to burn time until it gets to a point that once she’s knocked out of first, getting back up will be nearly impossible.”
“I fail to see how that’s possible. If she’s rested-”
“That’s just it, she won’t be. You can challenge her freely and not worry about me for most of the tournament. Use the time to learn how to fight her then I’ll challenge you again and win, then immediately go fight her. You’ll briefly be back in third place but fourth place holders will be exhausted and think twice about challenging you, Eliza Marigold; the person who beat Nicholas Schnee.”
“You made a safety net for third”
“I made a safety net for you! I will beat Valerie so she’ll fall to second place and that’s where you jump in to knock her to third. By that point she’ll have to wait and losing twice in a row is gonna give people ideas. Even if she beats them it’ll be a race against the clock and you can challenge me to avoid fighting her if it comes down to that. Boom, guaranteed second place for you with a potential at first place.”
The plan was insane, daring, and yet clearly thought of. “This is…a lot. Not to mention not full proof. What if I actually don’t need you to weaken Valerie and can take first place for myself?”
“Then by all means take it. I’ll knock Valerie to third myself and then fight you. Careful though. If I win you’re stuck with her and plenty of time you have to stall.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “What if I refuse this off altogether?”
“That’s fine. We’ll just all have to do our best.”
“Your entire plan hinges on you beating Valerie. What if-”
“I’ll win.” He deadpanned. “I can take her this year. No questions about it.”
He started giving that same exact look he did a few days ago. “Not that I’m not interested but this feels a little unlike you.”
“Is that bad? People are always saying I’m too soft around Valerie. This is a tournament and there’s no rules against teamwork. You in?”
He hopped down and extended his hand. Nick did his best to seem casual about all of this but it was clear to Eliza he was pretty frustrated at Valerie. It wasn’t her place to pry. If he was willing to go this far then she might as well keep an eye on the entire thing. A chance to progress, and a good event. As long as those two things happened without incident then she had no reason to object. Then there was the other problem. She already helped him train…Eliza shook his hand.
“Glad to do business with you. I guess it’s only fair now that I give you the choice to stop training me. Wouldn’t want this to feel like I’ve gained so much tangible progress while yours relies on-”
Eliza tossed him his sword. “Quit with the chivalrous act. If I don’t train you to my standards then I’m positive your plan is bound to fall apart. Helping you here can only benefit me, or did you already forget I could teach you a thousand ways to improve your glyphs and still even the playing field?” She made another silver orb.
Nick gulped. He actually did forget how big of a pain in the ass it was gonna be fighting her. Semblance training doesn’t mean much if you can’t use it. “Have I ever told you that you can be terrifying and comforting at the same time?”
“Nobility should be just that. It’s why people like your face so much whenever you look like you beat the crap out of somebody.”
“People like my face because I’m handsome!!!”
“Less chitchat. More candle lighting.”
Nick hunched over in defeat. Marigolds, what can you do with them?
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yellowmagicalgirl · 3 years
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A Ring, A Blade, An Ornament, A Wreath
Ilia would like to one day propose to Blake using Faunus customs, but she doesn't know which ones.
Years later, Blake makes an assumption about the type of proposal Ilia would like.
This was originally written for the 2021 Rare Pairs Exchange over on AO3. It takes place both pre-canon and post-Volume 8 due to a time skip in the middle.
CW: References to past character death as well as canon-typical anti-Faunus racism.
AO3
FFN
In Mantle and Atlas, they used rings to propose. It was a human tradition, yes, but it was one perpetuated by Faunus as well. Ilia still remembered her parents wedding rings, woven out of discarded wires. They weren’t much in terms of expensive materials as proof of being able to provide for each other, but they had been handmade proof of her parents’ love for each other. She hadn’t gotten them back with the rest of her parents things when they had died. In a best-case scenario, her parents’ rings had been thought to be debris from the cave-in. It was more likely that humans had taken them, though whether out of mockery of Ilia’s grief, wanting to claim some sort of repayment with precious objects, or mockery of the materials used Ilia would never be sure.
Ilia and her parents had been cowards, and she didn’t want to emulate them or the human-supremacist society she had grown up in. She especially didn’t want to emulate them when she proposed to Blake. She promised herself that she wouldn’t give Blake a ring… after Ilia figured out how to confess her feelings to Blake, of course.
Faunus had many different proposal traditions, but theirs had been stamped out as they tried to assimilate with humans. The scholars of Menagerie were trying to piece together older cultural traditions, and Menagerie had many different proposal traditions as a result. Ilia wondered what type of proposal Blake would prefer. Out of all the traditions Ilia had heard about, she found she preferred the ones where she would have to make something for Blake. It was what her parents had done, and it felt purer than all those stuffy girls at Ilia’s prep school daydreaming about getting an expensive gem-encrusted ring of fine metals.
One of the traditions Ilia liked was one that had originally come from one of the deserts of Anima that she liked most. It had started with some of the Faunus tribes that had inhabited the area and then having spread to humans because it was a useful tradition, only to become frowned upon as one of the pre-Mistrali kingdoms tried to colonize the area with religious fervor. And yet, the tradition had survived to make it to Menagerie, with happy couples giving each other small, intricate blades no bigger than a hand.
Ilia had made Lightning Lash herself, so maybe she would be good at making a blade for Blake. Granted, Blake had made Gambol Shroud all on her own, so it wasn’t like she needed a blade from Ilia. Then again, the blades didn’t look like they were useful. Well, maybe they were useful for things like cutting small, thin vegetables or spreading butter, but Blake deserved a blade she could defend herself with. Not that she needed Ilia’s help with that, since Blake had always been an amazing fighter with a strong, defensive semblance.
Perhaps Blake would prefer the traditions originally held by the Dacia, a nomadic Faunus community that originated in southwestern Sanus. They used hair ornaments, worn at the end of braids. Granted, Blake didn’t braid her hair, and she didn’t wear any hair ornaments aside from the bow she used to hide her ears whenever she would go into a human settlement for supplies. Ilia didn’t like that part about Blake, how she hid and tried to blend in with humans. Still, Blake was doing a lot better than Ilia had in that regard. Even when they went to get supplies, Blake wouldn’t stand back when they saw a non-passing Faunus being harassed.
Ilia sighed. Blake was so cool and beautiful, and she was wasted on Adam. Maybe Ilia would finally tell Blake that when Blake came back from the train mission she and Adam were going on tomorrow morning. Maybe. Ilia wasn’t sure how she would be able to do so.
New Mantle had become rather prosperous compared to the refugee camp it had been eight years ago. Granted, it helped that the Grimm were finally defeated less than a year after the fall of Atlas. Ilia had felt strangely sad, hearing the news that the cities she had grown up in were both gone. She had hated both of them, symbols of her own cowardice as a bystander, and yet they had both held good memories, no matter how tainted they were. Her parents’ graves and the house she grew up in had flooded; her prep school would have been smashed with the impact. And all that strange anguish she had felt at losing places she hadn’t planned on ever returning to had only gone up exponentially when she learned that Blake was dead. Or, more specifically, she had fallen. She was technically missing, as no one expected to ever find a body.
Blake hadn’t been Ilia’s first love, but she had been Ilia’s greatest love.
And then she came back. She had changed; she was the first Faunus with magical powers who was not a maiden or a bearer of silver eyes.
And finally, finally, she was looking at Ilia the way that Ilia had always hoped Blake would.
Things had changed in the years since. Ilia and Blake were dating, and Salem had been defeated. The world was not at peace, but it was far closer to it than it had been during Ilia’s childhood. The two of them had settled down together in the outskirts of Vale, but right now they were visiting friends. Tonight, they would be meeting up with Neon, Coal, and their daughter Irida for dinner, but that was hours from now. Right now, they were walking through one of the street markets. They had grabbed a light lunch from one of the Atlesian-Vacuan stalls and were now looking for a trash can to dispose of the paper wrappers.
“Oh hey, look!” Blake said, pointing. Ilia turned her head, expecting to see a trash can but instead she saw a stall.
A ring maker’s stall. The rings were done in the style of Atlesian engagement rings. It was a temporary stall, which made sense. The spring equinox was coming up, and it was an old Mantle tradition to propose at the start of spring and marry at the start of summer. Ilia still remembered being so shocked when her prep school classmate talked about having attended a winter wedding; the tradition hadn’t carried to the city in the sky that promised freedom from Grimm, hunger, and the bitter cold.
Blake looked at Ilia, smiled, blushed, looked away again, and took a breath. “What’s your ring size?”
Ilia blinked and then dropped Blake’s hand so that Ilia could put both hands in front of her mouth. “I, are you –“
“No, no, not yet. I’d do something at least a little fancier than just picking out rings together and calling it a day. But, we’ve been dating for years, and I think that it’ll be time, soon. And, since you grew up in Mantle, I thought you’d like to follow the ring tradition.”
“I mean, if you had asked me a decade ago, I would’ve been insulted by it. Now, I’m not too sure. How did your parents get engaged?”
“My mom’s family is from Mistral, so my dad proposed to her with Mistrali traditions. And, since it’s a woven wreath of flowers, and our family name is from a flower…”
“Oh, no, he didn’t.”
“Yeah, he proposed with a wreath of poisonous flowers. Obviously, my mom accepted his proposal anyways, but I wouldn’t want to recreate my parents’ proposal.”
A woven wreath of flowers, though not of conventional materials. Made by Ghira’s own hands to show his love for Kali.
“How would you feel about a non-poisonous wreath?”
Blake smiled at her. “You still haven’t told me your ring size.”
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Mabel AU- The Letters
@haberdashing
Martin is an at home care giver, trying to reach the Grandson of his latest client.
This is basically a rewrite of the first episode of Mabel.  There really aren't many direct quotes, only a couple very short ones, everything else is mine.
Thanks for reading!  If you want more of this AU, let me know, or just let me know if you enjoyed!   Another fic of some sort or other will be posted next week!
ARCHIVIST: Hello, you’ve reached Jonathan Sims.  I’m not here to take your call right now.  Please leave a message after the beep.  Thank you.  
[BEEP]
MARTIN: Hey, Jonathan, right?  My name is Martin Blackwood, and I’m with Kings County Home Help?  I’ve been taking care of your grandmother for the past six months.  I’m her at home carer?  I know I probably shouldn’t have your number, but I wanted to check in with you.  Nothing’s wrong.  Nothing’s wrong.  Gertrude Sims is fine.  Good, actually, for her age.  Sorry, is that insensitive?   In any case, I’d like a call back, if you aren’t too busy.  Right.  Let me apologize for how I got your number.  I know it’s probably unorthodox, probably breeching some privacy agreement or something… 
[SIGH]
[ASIDE]
Don’t tell him that, Christ what is wrong with you?
[TO JON]
Right.  Well I got your number from my coworker, Sasha, who’s friends with Tim, who’s friends with you.  And he apparently hasn’t heard from you in a little, and would like him to call you back.  He told Sash to tell me to tell you that, by the way.  That was the price for your number.  Sorry for that.  I’m sure you have …things.  A life in the real world and not in this distant and lovely house.  
…Sorry, that was… Anyways, give me a call back when you can, yeah?  Thanks.  Bye!
[ASIDE] 
Christ!  What’s wrong with you… catch sight of one pretty photo… SHIT, right, hanging up.  
[BEEP]
[MUFFLED THROUGH A POCKET] 
[QUIETLY SINGING TO HIMSELF OVER THE SOUND OF KITCHEN] 
…Onions in the paaaaaan.  Why aren’t you hot enough yeeeet?  The water sizzledddddd, but it isn’t sizzling noooow.  
[NEGLECTED PHONE SOUND] 
[REALIZING]
OH SHIT.  SORRY.  
[BEEP]
[CLEARS THROAT] 
Hi, Mr. Sims.  It’s me again.  It’s Martin.  I… I’m trying to reach you… again.  …As you probably can tell.  It’s just been three days, and I would really like a call back.  I just realized I didn’t give a number or like, I know you can probably figure out that you can reach me through this number, but I didn’t say it and I didn’t tell you when I was available, and maybe that’s why you haven’t gotten back to me.  At least I hope that’s why.  I… I can’t imagine not calling one of my Mum’s doctors back.  Anyways, my number is [CENSORED] in case you can’t just ring back or something.  Maybe your phone blocks unknow numbers and you haven’t even gotten this.  Maybe I was listed as private and you couldn’t call back.  Maybe you’re very polite and didn’t want to bother me when you didn’t know my schedule.  I’m available from 2-5pm and in the evenings after 9pm.  Or maybe you’ve got phone anxiety.  I know I do, heh.  I’m sweating just leaving you this message.  
Or maybe you’re just busy.  
Or maybe you tried to call, and I just didn’t get it.  The reception isn’t great out here, as …you probably know.  Given you grew up here.  But anyways I have made sure I can get your message even with the dead-phone zones.  It’s all set up.  So… just needing a call back when you can.  Well, not needing.  But… I’d like one.  Thanks.  Bye.  
[BEEP]
Hi.  It’s me …again.  Just… trying to reach you.  Whatever.  
[BEEP] 
Call me back and let me know you aren’t dead in a ditch somewhere, okay?  Sash says Tim is really worried… And… I might be too.  Not that I even know you.  Not really.  So if you aren’t rotting in some hole somewhere, give me a call back, please?
[BEEP]
Where did you go?  
[BEEP]
Hi.  It’s me.  …I’ve heard a lot about you, you know?  Mostly from you Grandmother, Gertrude.  
[ASIDE] 
Christ, Martin.  He knows his grandmother’s name.  
[TO JON]
Right.  Anyhow.  She’s told me a lot of stories, you know?  She’s actually pretty sharp.  Most of the time, anyhow.  Mostly lucid.  I’m not sure if that’s all because of her medicine or what.  I’ve… I help a lot of old people, at the end of their lives.  And well… when I say she’s sharp, I mean that she is sharp comparatively, and also just remarkably so.  Her words are confident, and considered.  She doesn’t waste words, but she doesn’t shy away from telling stories.  (I’m sure it’s just because she has no one else to talk to.  Not even you.)  But… you’ve stopped feeling like a real person on the other end of the line.  That’s part of why I wanted to call?  I guess?  The longer that it’s been since my first message, the more I doubt myself for calling, and why I called.  Sorry, then, for wasting your time.  Thinking of you more like a book character, than someone with feelings and thoughts and a life.  Someone who I know too much about for us to be casual strangers, even if I am a complete stranger to you.  It just feels like a weird imbalance, you know?  
Also… it’s a bit lonely out here, you know?  Gertrude has a lot of old photographs of you.  None of them are recent.  And I know it isn’t my business, but… never mind.  It isn’t my business… and I get it.  
But… she still has your photos up.  It’s my job to dust them.  So, every week or so, I get a really good look at them.  There’s one of you on the tire swing out back… it’s still back there, you know?  You have mud all over your dungarees.  And in your hair.  Then there’s one… you look about 7?  Your hair is in pig tails, and you are scowling at something off to your right.  I don’t know what it is, and I know I shouldn’t find that kind of adorable, but I do.  And there’s one of you in uni.  You’re flipping off the camera and your hair is short and you’re wearing eyeliner.  You look some odd combination of pissed off and like you’re having the time of your life.  
[ASIDE]
And really, really, really hot.  Christ, Martin, keep it together.  You are literally on the phone with him, and you haven’t even talked to him.  Jesus!
[TO JON]
I.. wish I could have known you then.  That’s the oldest you look in these.  Most of these are pictures of you when you were little.  Mostly just you.  A few of your dad when he was young, and one of your parents.  She’s pregnant, and it’s sunset.  They look so …happy.  Christ, I’m sorry about what happened to them.  I… I didn’t really know my dad either.  
Sorry.  This isn’t about me.  
I’m calling because this place is… spooky.  Spooky like a dark fairy tale.  
Everything here is a bit… magical and creepy.  
This house is old.  Like a museum.  Dusty boxes in the attic, full of treasures and dust the relics of the past, like the Long past.  Not just the past of one lifetime.  The garden is overgrown, despite my best efforts.  Sometimes, Gertrude comes out and helps me garden.  Usually in her chair.  Mostly I just wheel here out so she can get some sun while I work.  That’s where I hear most of the stories about you.  
It’s overgrown with twisting vines and the most beautiful roses I have ever seen, with scary-long thorns.  
I feel like I’ve walked into the setting for a classic.  Like Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice, or hell, even Tolkien.  Or even Grimm’s fairytales.  The original, dark ones.  
It’s… unsettling.  Especially when it’s foggy out.  
The rest of the hills disappear into the fog and the condensation clings to the flowers, desaturated with the thickness of the moisture in the air, and the everything is coated in the most delicate, perfect little water droplets.  
Anyhow.  The reason I’m really calling… are the letters.  
I was helping Gertrude move some things up to the attic.  She’s one of the practical sorts of old people.  She isn’t afraid of her death.  She wants everything to be easy on you, you know?  Make sure you don’t have to go through too much stuff when she passes on.  I’ve lived with a lot of people through their deaths.  It’s nice… making sure no one dies alone.  Making sure they are comfortable.  Making it as painless as possible.  
[ASIDE]
Lord knows my efforts were never good enough for my mother… but if I can help other people…
[TO JON]
I know it’s a little morbid.  But I like it.  I feel… useful.  I’m good at it.  I’m good at keeping up conversations, and at cooking, and cleaning, and providing medical assistance, as needed.  Not that I’m an actual doctor, but I, you know, do have a lot of training.  
Anyway.  The letters.  I was helping her move some stuff into the attic, and bringing down some older boxes so she could go through them and decide what she was ready to toss, when I found them.  This box full of letters.  Hundreds of them.  All unopened.  Sealed with a kiss.  Lipstick red.  Red as dying embers.  Stamped returned to sender.  Slightly scorched around the edges.  Tied in bundles.  Identical envelops.  Identical loose, looping cursive.  All from someone named Agnes?  All addressed to Gertrude.  
That would be fine, I guess?  
But she screamed when she opened it.  An inhuman sound.  
Like the sound was ripped from her.  
And, I have never cared for a more grounded person.  I have never seen her anything but… well not completely calm all the time, but mostly calm, you know?  I’ve seen her sharp, I’ve seen her annoyed.   Heh, half the time it looks like she wants to judge me, but then doesn’t… if that makes sense?  Mostly she looks… like she knows so much more than I do and that she is calm in her knowledge?  I’ve seen so much as a carer.  There isn’t much that rattles me.  Not death, not illness, not panic, but… but this was different.  
After that… she was shaken badly.  Screamed for what seemed like hours, then just stared at me and said “I’m going into the ground for you.”  I… I couldn’t calm her down.  Not until late evening, and I didn’t even have a break because the relief carer was off sick.  
I finally got her to bed, and… I had to take another look.  That’s when I got a good look at the envelopes.  I… I want to open them.  I haven’t.  I know I shouldn’t…. but…. I want to know what could have shaken her that badly?  Someone that stable and grounded, you know?  
Heh, maybe you could call me back and make sure I don’t do something stupid.  And ya know, let me know that you aren’t’ dead in a ditch.  Tim’s started texting me directly now!  He’s… he’s really worried about you.  
Anyhow, I just need to know-
[BEEP]
[CONTINUED BEEPING]
AUTOMATED VOICE: The voicemail inbox for [Jonathan Sims] is full. Please call again later. 
[DIAL TONE] 
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Text
now where did that come from?
Prompt: wound reveal, ignoring an injury
Whumpee: Nick Burkhardt
Fandom: Grimm
hi this is like my favorite trope ever and i had so much fun writing it!! i hope you enjoy :)
Nick runs at full speed after the escaping suspect. She’s several hundred feet in front of him, flying through the woods with practiced ease. He’s doing his best to keep up, and a few feet behind him, Hank is doing the same. But it’s nearly hopeless - she’s too fast and knows the area far too well, and they just don’t.
Nick sees her jump over something in front of him, and as he gets closer he realizes it’s a fallen tree. He leaps over it, too, but halfway into the jump something tugs on his ankle and pulls him down, slamming his chest directly into the trunk of the tree. 
He lies there for a second, the breath knocked out of him, his chest hurting quite a bit. He groans and pushes himself off of the tree, looking to his ankle and finding the source of his fall - a thick vine wrapped around his shoe, which he definitely hadn’t seen. He pulls it off and throws it to the ground as Hank skids to a halt next to him. 
“She’s gone,” he says, and Nick groans again. 
“I could have caught her,” he says, feeling suddenly quite stupid for having tripped.
“Did you see how fast she was going?” Hank protests. “No way. You okay?” he adds, as Nick pushes himself to his feet, wiping some dirt off his clothes. 
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he says. Just a little sore, really, and more embarrassed than anything. 
“Good,” Hank says, and they begin their walk back to the car. 
On their way back, Nick begins to realize that he’s more than a little sore. His chest feels about what’s expected for slamming into a hard object at such a high speed, and it hurts even more when he breathes in. 
But he has more important things to think about than a little pain, such as explaining to the Captain that the suspect had evaded them for a second time; and the dinner he’s having at Monroe and Rosalee’s tonight, which they’ve been planning for quite some time. 
He distracts himself for some time with these thoughts on the way back to the precinct. Getting out of the car tears his attention back to his chest, as a particularly sharp spike of pain travels up his torso when he stands. He sucks in a breath to try and ride it out, but of course that breath only makes it hurt worse, and he can’t quite hide a wince from Hank, who asks if he’s okay, again.
“Just kind of sore,” Nick admits, not entirely untruthfully. He is kind of sore. And he kind of feels like his chest is being crushed in a vise. What’s the difference?
They head back into the precinct, whereupon Nick’s luck only gets worse. It’s nearly five o’clock, and large swaths of people are leaving the building, including one person carrying quite a large stack of boxes, who stumbles in the hallway and drops a few of them. Nick, nearby, catches one reflexively, and it hits him square in the chest, sending such an intense wave of pain through him that he can neither breathe nor see for several seconds. 
He drops the box in pained surprise, biting back a yelp, and hurries to rejoin Hank, barely able to focus on anything besides the constant pain in his chest, which feels like it’s been multiplied tenfold by the recent box incident. Still. It’s fine, Nick tells himself, though he’s getting less and less sure he believes that. 
Unfortunately, the paperwork and discussion with Renard about the case takes far longer than Nick had expected, and it’s already 6:30 by the time he leaves the precinct, feeling pain wash back over him as the distraction of work melts away. He’d like to go home, change, find something to bring over to Monroe and Rosalee’s, but the thought of going home sparks a strong desire to stay there, and he can’t skip dinner with his friends. And besides, even though his chest might be burning and aching with every single breath he takes, it’s really not that bad. He’s still standing, isn’t he?
He arrives at Monroe and Rosalee’s house around seven, and spends several minutes sitting in his car convincing himself to stand up. He really doesn’t want to. The pain has died down to a far more bearable level thanks to his not moving, and the thought of inviting it back stops him from moving at all.
Eventually, though, his willpower outlasts his natural human desire to make the pain stop, and he very slowly, very carefully, gets out of the car, fighting the urge to wrap an arm around his chest, because if he does, his friends will ask him what’s wrong, and he doesn’t feel like going down that path tonight. He’s just going to ignore this as best as he can and have a nice dinner, and afterwards he can go home and lay down and wallow in his pain. 
He knocks softly at the door, which is quickly thrown open by a smiling Rosalee. “Good to see you, Nick,” she says, and before he can stop her, she’s pulling him into a tight hug. 
Against his will, Nick makes a noise of pain, somewhere between a groan and a whimper. Rosalee pulls back, looking at him worriedly. “What’s wrong?” she asks, and Nick shakes his head, brushing her off.
“It’s nothing. I fell.” 
“Okay,” Rosalee says, her tone making it clear she doesn’t quite believe him. “Dinner’s almost ready. Monroe!” she calls. “Nick’s here!” 
Monroe pokes his head out from the kitchen, waving at Nick with a spoon. “Hey, Nick! What’s up?”
Nick gives him a wave, then follows Rosalee into the kitchen to help gather plates and silverware. He doesn’t talk the whole time, and he feels awful about it, but he can’t muster up the energy or strength required. He knows if he starts to talk he’ll have to cut himself off - breathing slowly, shallowly, and evenly hurts enough, never mind speaking. 
A few minutes later, they’re settled down with plates of vegan lasagna, which, Monroe had assured Nick, tasted exactly like the real thing.
Nick has to agree with him - the dinner is fantastic, or it would be, anyway, if he had any interest in eating it. But swallowing causes a particularly uncomfortable sensation in his chest, almost like it’s tearing, and he doesn’t particularly want to end this night in the hospital, which is surely where he’s going to end up if his chest tears open. Not that it will, he knows, on some level, but it hurts so badly he can’t help but wonder.
“You okay, man?” Monroe asks him, and Nick realizes that he and Rosalee have both finished their plates. His own, in comparison, is still full.
“Is it bad? I knew I shouldn't have added that extra zucchini,” Monroe says, smacking himself in the forehead.
“No, no,” Nick says quickly, wishing that he could explain in some way that wasn’t going to spoil their evening. “Just...not hungry,” he finishes lamely, his voice scarcely above a whisper. He feels a grimace of pain start to come over his face, and quickly forces it down.
“Well, do you want something?” Monroe suggests, looking around the room like another dinner is going to magically appear.
Nick shakes his head. “No, really, I’m-” he says, and then he cuts himself off with a cough that turns his vision white with pain. He coughs a couple more times into his fist, trying and failing miserably to breathe through the pain. 
When he stops, both Monroe and Rosalee are looking at him, concerned. He blinks at them through teary eyes and then looks down at his hand, which is where both of them are looking. It’s covered in spots of blood, and, he realizes, his mouth tastes of blood too. 
“That’s not good,” Monroe says. 
“What happened, Nick?” Rosalee asks, at the same time. 
Nick shakes his head again, completely unable to speak. He puts a hand to his chest, spreading out his fingers like he can hold himself together by that force alone. 
“What happened?” Rosalee asks again, moving so that she’s sitting directly in front of him. “Nick, please.”
Tears well up in his eyes unbidden, and he bites his bottom lip to stop it from trembling. He’s so close to just breaking, everything hurts so much and something is definitely wrong but it shouldn’t be, he should be fine, he should be-
“Hey, it’s okay, buddy,” Monroe says, sitting next to Rosalee across from him. “Just tell us what happened and we’ll figure it out.”
Nick forces himself to speak. “Fell,” he manages, knowing that it’s not a very helpful statement. But it’s the best he can do before another nearly blinding spike of pain shoots up his chest, and he shuts his eyes against it.
Someone unbuttons his shirt, then, and pulls off his jacket. “Oh, Nick,” Rosalee says, and Nick opens his eyes, looking down at himself. 
His entire chest, it seems like, is bruising a deep purple. It’s swollen slightly, and Rosalee’s cool fingers provide a brief respite from the burning pain that’s been coating his chest for the past several hours. 
“Youch,” Monroe observes. “You fell?”
Nick gives him a shaky nod, feeling a good deal more vulnerable than he’s used to. “It hurts,” he confesses, finally, in a whisper so quiet he doubts anyone can hear it.
But they can. “I bet,” Rosalee says sympathetically, rubbing his shoulder. 
“I know,” Monroe adds, at nearly the same time, putting a hand on Nick’s knee. 
Nick coughs again, then, reaching out a blind hand and grabbing onto Monroe’s shirt for support, as his other hand comes to his mouth. When he pulls it away, it’s yet again speckled with fresh blood.
“Let’s get you to the hospital, yeah?” Rosalee suggests, phrasing it like a question but leaving no room for Nick to argue. 
He lets himself be maneuvered into a standing position, feeling himself start to fall as a wave of intense pain rushes over him for what has to be the hundredth time. But Monroe and Rosalee are there, and they catch him before he can fall, slipping arms around his shoulders and leading him out to the car. 
The ride to the hospital is spent with his friends gently but sternly telling him off. “Don’t even think about hiding something like that from us again,” Monroe warns Nick, giving him a Look from the driver’s seat. 
“We care about you, Nick,” Rosalee adds, mirroring Monroe’s Look from the passenger seat. “You know you can talk to us, right?”
Nick gives her a small nod from his position in the backseat, where he’s leaning his head against the cool glass of the window and watching it fog up with every small, pained breath he takes. 
A few minutes later, they’re at the emergency entrance to the hospital, and Nick is refusing a wheelchair. “‘M okay,” he insists, knowing full well he’s not, and knowing, also, that his friends know he’s not. But they also know not to push too much, and instead of forcing Nick into a wheelchair, they both silently come up on either side of him, supporting him completely. 
Just before they reach the doors, Nick feels his legs give out from under him as the pain becomes, finally, too much to bear. But he doesn’t fall, even for a second, because his friends are still right there, holding him up, and telling him it’s alright.
“It’s okay, Nick, we’ve got you.”
aaaa thanks so much for reading!!!!!! i hope you liked it :)
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littlemisssquiggles · 3 years
Note
Aww man! The villains called the heroes plan and lunched an attack, Yang got knocked off, Ironwood and Winter are gonna fight, Team RWBJN having trouble dealing with Cinder and Neo, Now Oscar, Ten and Emerald can't go back to the staff and it looks Salem returns.😶
Hey there Bouquetdeer. Listen, for future reference, do you mind not inboxing me spoilers for episodes of RWBY until I’ve made my usual post discussing my thoughts on the episode since when I first got this message, I hadn’t seen the episode as yet. I still had to wait about an hour for it to be released on my end so when I first saw your message, I had to avert my eyes since you literally sent me a whole message of spoilers before I saw the episode for myself which… isn’t cool dude ^^;.
While I understand that may not have been your intention, obviously, still be careful next time, fam. That being said, I’ve now seen the episode and could actually answer you.
My response---not gonna lie, with all that’s happened for the last couple of episodes since CH10, I genuinely forgot that Salem is still in this story and still has to reincarnate at some point. I forgot about her just as how the CRWBY showrunners seem to have forgotten about Pietro Polendina and Maria Calavera still floating up in Amity Arena since we STILL don’t know what happened to the two old folks and this was since CH5. Did Maria and Pietro escape Amity? Did a portal open up for them to take them to Vacuo too? Seriously what happened to Pietro and Maria because it kind of bugs me a bit that Penny got the chance to become a real girl and…her own father, who literally created her doesn’t get the chance to share in this momentous moment with his daughter because the PLOT forgot about him.
Seriously, when Ambrosius told RWBY that he would have loved to have met the person who made Penny, I was like “You and me both Ambrosius because WHERE IS PIETRO?”. I hope this was a clear foreshadow to Pietro surviving for another season and us fans getting to see Pietro partnering with Ambrosius to…I dunno, create something together that services the PLOT for V9. I dunno. I just want to see Pietro meet Ambrosius since it bums me that Pietro couldn’t be there to see Penny become a real girl. But I digress.
Anyways, mini rant aside---resuming my original point. I didn’t automatically assume that the Batman Grimm we saw attacking the Atlesian and Mantlese refugees in Vacuo this episode were as a result of Salem---I simply just pegged those Grimm as being native to Vacuo Kingdom and the deserts of Sanus, similar to how the Saybers were native to Atlas Kingdom and Solitas and it just so happened that our heroes managed to carry the refugees to a spot where these beasts hold territory and in the middle of a blinding sand storm to boot.
Not only that but Jaune isn’t around to help boost Ren’s semblance to help mask the people. At this point, unless Jaune comes through the portal next, the refugees are screwed since I doubt Emerald, Ren and Oscar can do much to help defend the people from a swarm of Grimm.
Not unless Oscar takes a chance and uses more of the stored up kinetic energy in the Long Memory to kill the oncoming Grimm while simultaneously sending a signal to their comrades in Vacuo. Since obviously someone from the kingdom should be able to spot a giant magical lazer in the sky and send someone to check it out, right?
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I mean that’s what happened last time in V4 with RNJR getting to Mistral. Back in V4, it was all the commotion in Kunoyuri from RNJR vs the Nuckelavee which caught the attention of a local Mistralian airship that was patrolling the area and was able to conveniently arrive in time to assist RNJR with the injured Qrow.
So if Oscar were to use the Long Memory again and launch a small nuke potent enough to protect the others, as much of a stretch as this may sound, perhaps…someone in Vacuo kingdom might see the beam and alert the local huntsmen about it. 
Who knows? Perhaps…Theodore---the Headmaster of Shade Academy and former ally of Ozpin--- might spot the beam and send help himself in the direction.
 After all, when Oscar first used the cane, Ironwood (and by extension RWBN_P at Schnee Manor) saw the explosion.
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So what’s stopping Oscar from using the cane like that again to garner the attention of their allies in Vacuo Kingdom while taking out any Grimm in the process since; while powerful, the kinetic energy of the cane only seems harmful to the Grimm but not people since…Yang, Ren, Emerald and Jaune survived the blast. However Hazel was still blown to smithereens along with Salem so…
Bottom-line, I do think Oscar could play a part in protecting the refugees and alerting their allies in Vacuo through the power of the cane. That’s my hunch with that.
As for everything else, if I have any other predictions besides the “death” of Team RWBY---I’m not sure if Winter is going to make it to Vacuo either. I think Winter could potentially die in the process of killing General Ironwood.
Speaking of the Schnees, RIP Jacques Schnee everybody since I’m pretty sure Ironwood blasted him to smithereens too with his war machine gun canon.
But yeah, I think Winter could die. Unless Marrow is the one to arrive and drag her safely through the portal and to Vacuo as payment for saving him. Unless Marrow is actually on board of the airship with Robyn Hill working with Qrow to stop Harriet from dropping the payload onto Mantle which…at this point, I’m really NOT understanding what the jig is with Harriet.
What is the point of blowing up Mantle now? At this point, Harriet Bree is no different from Ironwood. Despite both claiming to “want to help the people”, what either are truly after is their own selfish desires which says a lot about them.
As a former fan of Ironwood as a character, it still sucks for me to see him go out like this man. But at least he’ll die by the hand of someone who genuinely believed in him or at least, used to. Still gotta appreciate his one gangster tear that he shed after Winter said she’s prepared to stop him. 
Despite losing himself to his fear, it’s nice to see that the tin soldier still had enough of a heart left to shed one tear of sorrow as he braced himself to duel the former most trusted ally---his solider and the person he probably genuinely cared about the most.
Winter was Ironwood’s top operative. His student. His right hand. He probably even loved her like a daughter. The comeuppance to come from their fated battle will be most glorious but we’ll have to wait and see.
Obviously Ironwood isn’t going to succeed. No way is Winter going to let him get the Staff of Creation. But at this point, who knows what the finale will bring. Next week is the last episode. 
We are officially at the end of V8. Time for this story to end and it’d be interesting to see what that ending will be and how V8 will set the stage for V9.
~ LittleMissSquiggles (2021)
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o-pandora-o · 4 years
Text
Cat MC
Please bear in mind some spoilers in the game and in the event (The Devil’s Riddle).
You were looking for a book Satan asked you to find inside his room and accidentally you were tripped on a big book with a cat cover and suddenly….. You turned into a cat……How would the demon boys react?
Please bear with my writing this is the first shit I’ve done I’m so sorry if it’s bad.
Lucifer:
 You were going outside Satan’s room to find help and you saw Luci roaming in the hallway. You made a small cry and he noticed you.
“Did Satan keep a cat? no worries I shall just open this matter to him” he said with a serious look on his face.
He was going to go away until you put a paw to his shoe. He made a glare and you fought his glare with a louder cry and so he replied “This cat got nerves”
“No can do, I do not own you nor I do not want any problems with any of my brothers so go back to Satan’s room now” When he left, you followed him to his room “this cat really got nerves to follow me here” he said.
Suddenly he got a call from Diavolo asking for an urgent meeting with him.
“If you really want to be with me then so be it, it seems you like me more than my brother, but I have matters to attend to.” he pats your head and you let out a small cry (saying like a goodbye or something).
 You decided to sleep on his bed while waiting for him.
 He came back when it’s already midnight.
 He saw you on his bed curled up like a ball (you were turned back to normal)
He put a blanket to cover you up and placed a small peck on your forehead.
 “Being a cat was fun” he heard a small mumble from you as you turn on the other side.
Mammon:
All right, you tumbled on this boi while he was looking for goods inside his house to sell.
You made a loud meow as you are stopping him from stealing goods
“D----AAAAAH!” Mammon screamed the top of his lungs.
“Who dare meows at THE GREAT MAMMON!” he says as you rolled your eyes at him. “Ooooh maybe I can sell this ca—OUUUCH!“ you hissed and lightly bit his hand as he picked you up “I was joking! Joking I tell you! Sheesh this cat” he put you down.
“So where is yer owner cat?” he asked, you rubbed your fur onto him and put your paw on his foot.
“That’s right! No one can stand THE GREAT MAMMON! Look you are already fascinated by my greatness” he said while you rolled you eyes.
“I have an idea!!” He took you and put you on top of his bed “Stay there till I get back!” he took a picture of you using his D.D.D.
You didn’t know he posted a picture of you while with the description “LOST CAT CONTACT MAMMON THE GREAT p.s give 10000 Grimm as reward”.
Yep, Mammon will be Mammon.
He came back late, it seems he had gone to the casino “TODAY’S MY LUCKY DAY! I WON THE JACKPOT WOHOO NOW I CAN BUY THOSE SHOES AND SUIT, it seems you are a lucky cat after all!”.
 When he was busy counting Grimms, it was already midnight. Suddenly pink smoke was covering you and he saw it “Wait what’s happening?!”he said as the smoke was cleared he saw you. 
“MC! You were the cat?!”
“Yeah it was me! Thanks for letting me stay in your room though” you said
“That’s right! Haha! The GREAT MAMMON always to the rescue haha” sweat drops
“I gtg to my room, I’m so sleepy cya Mammon thanks again!” you said as you left.
Bonus:
Early in the morning you came to Mammon’s room while you said “Mammon! Why did you post me being lost in exchange for grimm?!”
“Uh I can explain you see, I forgot to delete it and bye!” he said as he run off of bed.
Leviathan:
“Is that what I think it is?” he mumbled as he was supposed to be going out to refill his rations
Sucre Frenzy’s lead member recently had a jet black cat, which was similar to the color of your fur.
“Nah maybe it’s just lost, wandering in the house” he said while he left to buy 2 months’ worth of food.
You saw and heard what he said so you decided to go to his room and wait for him.
You were looking around the place until-
When he came back he saw you looking at Henry 2.0 and he thought you were going to eat him “NONONONO! Don’t eat my one and true friend!” whilst you gave him a quizzical cat look.
“AHHH! I got no time for this, I should open up the new Multiplayer game I bought aaaaah where is MC? Damn I need to play it now” he said while preparing his newly bought game, he messaged you in his D.D.D waiting for an answer. You went to the other controller and pressed play.
“Wait what that was for MC! I should restart this” when he was reaching for the menu button, you put your paw on his arm. ”Wait are you telling me not to restart?” you cried out a meow.
You played the new game with him and he was amazed, “Woah this cat is amazing it can play games! I’m gonna name you Henry 3.0!” and you gave him a doubtful look while you continue to play the new game he bought until midnight.
You landed the final blow to the last boss on the game and when Levi turned around pink smoke was covering you.
 You were turned back into human! “OMG MC you were a cat? lolol so cool”
“This is my magical power! Lunaria, Wisteria, Primrose, Peony! Through the power of the flower I’m pretty as can be! I’m the magical mysterious MC!” you said as you pecked his cheeks.
“Watch out! I might steal your heart!” you wink leaving him flustered.
Satan:
He was looking for you inside his room, he was going to tell you that he found the book that you were helping him find.
“MC?? Hey MC? That’s weird, I swore she said that she was inside my ro—“Satan couldn’t finish his sentence when he found a small black cat lying around with his books.
“How did you get in here. Are you hungry? Do you want some food?”
Satan was excited he looked like a smol boi waiting for his Birthday present.
After a day full of feeding you, taking care of you and even took pictures of you like a cat mom flexing he decided that it’s time to set you free.
“If you stay here for too long your owner might be missing you”
You brushed your fur against his leg and he knelt down and brushed his hand on your head.
 “Well I guess you could stay it’s pretty dark anyways”.
Satan carefully picked you up and took you to his bedroom and he put you down beside his pillow and let you fall asleep.
Not that he totally forgot about you though
When you both woke up it seems like you were back to normal and you saw Satan smirked.
“Good morning my lil kitten” definitely knows that you were the cat.
Asmodeus:
You went out of Satan’s room hoping to get help from someone and suddenly Asmodeus hurryingly going out of his room.
You followed Asmodeus while crying out a small meow. Apparently, he didn’t heard your cry for help.
He went to your room (as you followed him there) “MC! We need to go to the ma—oh she isn’t here” when he stopped you let out a loud cry and he finally noticed you.
“Awh what are you doing here? Were you lured here by my charm?” he said
“My, my, you have such a nice fur compared to other kitties seems like you also got the charm! And it doesn’t look like you don’t shed too much fur! I have a great idea! I’ll take you to the mall with me, you will be my new pet! Let’s share our charm to the entire world!” he said as he picked you up and took you outside.
After a day full of shopping, salon, taking pictures, and buying more stuff, you both went home before curfew.
He went to have some dinner while you run off to your room.
After dinner he was busy taking his stuff out of the bags you two bought
On midnight he noticed you were not in his bedroom, he went to search for you and seen you on your room “Oh little princess why are you in MC’s room? Speaking of MC I didn’t even see her during dinner and she isn’t even here.” and suddenly pink smoke was covering your body and suddenly you were turned back to normal.
“I never knew you could be a majestic cat MC,waaaah I really missed you” he said that while cuddling you.
“Now that I’m here why don’t we sleep in your bed?” you saw him smirk.
“No funny business alright? Being a cat is really tiring!” you said to him.
“Alright, alright! Just let me hug you” he said. “Fine” you replied while he pecked your lips and went to bed.
Beelzebub:
You hid from everyone until it was late night. You were hungry so you went to the kitchen hoping to find some food on the table but you were unlucky enough to find none.
You saw some unopened chips on the countertop so you jumped and grabbed it using your mouth. You tried to open the chips with your claws and your mouth but you failed.
Beel saw you in the kitchen and said “Do you want this? Hmm I don’t really know if chips are good for cats though”.
You nod and he opened the chips for you, you thanked him by crying out a meow.
When the chips was open you bite some and gave it to Beel, “Oh thanks” he replied as he pats your head.
As you two were eating, the clocked reached midnight.
A magical pink smoke appeared around you. You were turned back to normal.
“Wha- MC I didn’t know you have the power to turn into a cat!” Beel said as he kept eating chips.
“No wait I don---ah why bother btw thanks for the chips“ you pecked his cheek while you went upstairs to sleep.
Belphegor:
You were in shock of what happened and decided to ask your S/O, Belphie for help. You went to his bedroom to see himself napping as usual.
You did everything you can, meowing, hissing, carefully scratching his bedside, pouncing on him, putting your paw on his nose, and still nothing.
Nothing can wake up this boi
You gave up and tried to wait for him to wake up but you fell asleep beside him instead.
Cue Beel going to his room and found you two sleeping “Cute” he said.
After 2 hours Belphie woke up and saw a cat beside him. At first he was shocked but eventually he stroked the cat’s fur lightly not waking it up and soon began to sleep again.
You both woke up the next day with you lying down on the cold floor well at least you ain’t a cat anymore eh?
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sid471 · 3 years
Text
I watched episode 4 you know what that meeeeeans :3
RWBY Volume 8 spoilers you know the drill. TL;DR: Robyn’s funny, Qrow’s sad, JYR are... any synonym for upset, especially Ren, Harriet’s a bitch, but we been knew, Salem is a bitch, as well as a bad bitch, aaaaaand.... Shit >_>. Cool :3
We start off with the Birbs, Robyn telling a funny story about Joanna to try and lighten the mood ^_^... Doesn’t work but the thought that counts. Robyn says “Tough crowd. Maybe Ironwood shoulda gotten better in cell entertainment >_>” And Qrow laughs and Robyn is pleased with herself :3. Aaaand then Qrow gets sad again. Robyn says that she’s sorry for what happened and says it isn’t his fault, which it isn’t >_<, But Qrow says that it is his fault because he made a deal with the Dark and Clover paid the price for it. My Fair Game heart jumped when I heard Qrow say “I thought for once maybe I could...” but he finishes it with “Be around someone without my semblance making things... weird. And now I’m alone again. That thought... It feels like a dream.” And Robyn says “Believe it or not... I kind of know how you feel. When people are afraid you’ll spill their secrets, people tend to avoid you. And it makes making real connections... difficult.” Birb bonding we love to see it :3
And as Qrow is saying “Huh. I never thought about it like that” Harriet and Marrow throw Watts back in his cell. So I guess he fucked up. And those armed soldiers were just for show >_>. Harriet says to Qrow “You don’t get to keep that 😒” referring to Clover’s pin to which Qrow reiterates that he didn’t kill Clover.  And Harriet says “You keep saying that but it was your weapon that has it blood on it.” which... true but what happened to Tyrian’s fingerprints .-. Did they just... not try to scan Harbinger for finger prints? Well y’know what makes sense considering where Ironwood is >_> anyways. Robyn sticks up for Qrow, again as she should :3, and says “He didn’t do it and if you were so sure that he did you’d lower my cell and take my hand. 😋 “ And Harriet tries to be all confident and cocky but Robyn goes for the jugular, like the queen she is, and says “Right. Because you don’t actually care about the truth. You just want someone to be mad at 😒.” And Harriet ALMOST unlocks Robyn’s cell but Marrow stops her. But something tells me even if she did open the cell and use Robyn’s semblance she still wouldn’t believe it >_> Because Robyn is right she DOES just want someone to be mad at <_< But yeah, after Marrow stops Harriet from opening the cell they leave and Robyn lays back down on her bed and says “Well. That was almost interesting 🙄 “ and the scene changes
To Ren Jaune and Yang. They’re chasing after The Hound and they Ren manages to grab onto it with the help of Jaune and Stormflower. And Ren just kinda... Flies around for a bit, latching on the Hounds foot while Yang and Jaune continue to give chase. During the chase, The Hound stops carrying Oscar in his, sorry Summer Rose theory believers I’m gonna use he/him pronouns for The Hound lol, mouth and roars, resulting in more Grimm to appear. Kinda like how the Wyvern was able to bring about more Grimm. Which Yang expresses surprise by, not the fact that it was ABLE to bring more Grimm, but by the fact The Hound was calling for reinforcements. Which is also surprising, but he was able to call forth more Grimm by roaring .-. 
Anyways, Yang and Jaune continue to ride past the Grimm, Jaune using his tossy shield thing as a ramp, so that’s neat :3 But also did he get it back? .-. We didn’t see him use the Gravity dust in his shield ._. I hope he didn’t just... leave this advanced Atlas tech in the snow 😶 Nah I doubt he did but still weird we didn’t see’im retrieve it. I go off topic, so Jaune and Yang continue driving and evading Grimm until Yang almost drives off a cliff... Well... not almost. She drives off a cliff. But Ren comes by in the nick’a time and saves them ^_^ A clutch use of his Semblance keeps them from being Grimm food :3.
Buuuuuuut now they’re stuck, and lost, in an icy tundra with their Aura in the high 30s all around. So... wonderful. So they’re trekking through and following Ren because he said that he saw the compound when he was flying on the hound. And we FINALLY get some sense of what’s going on with Ren. Well, he said it at the end of volume 7, he doesn’t think they, and by they he means he, aren’t ready to be huntsman. Which Yang says exactly what I’ve been thinking this whole time “Were we ready at the battle at Haven? How about when we stole an Atlas airship >_>” the latter wasn’t the example she used but I couldn’t remember cause it’s been a few hours lol. But Ren continues on his tirade and says that “If we just give the staff to Ironwood everything would be okay”... Now listen I know he wasn’t really THERE when Ironwood broke, it was just RWBY, and he doesn’t know Ironwood shot Oscar, only Oscar knows that, but even so.... Ren, sweetie, honey, baby, that is SOOOOO far from the truth ._. Like even the last time he saw Ironwood he was still on the “Hey let’s ABANDON Mantle” train .-. and now he’s helping to evacuate Mantle... Technically illegally? So... Ugh Ren please don’t get on my shit list >_< He also called out Jaune for “Cheating his way into Beacon”, his exact words. Which brings the question did Jaune tell them about that? Cause last we knew only he, Pyrrha, and Cardin knew. And presumable the rest of CRDL. So did Pyrrha tell them while she was still angry at Jaune for hanging around Cardin or did Jaune tell JNPR in confidence? Either way...... Not cool to just bring up >_> Especially with how much Jaune HAS improved as a leader, a fighter, and a strategist. I don’t talk about it much but I’m proud of Jaune :3. AS proud as I am of Weiss with her whole arc ^_^... Heh... Arc. After Ren says that Jaune, obviously hurt, says “You may not think we’re ready, but I’m still going. We have a job to do.” And Yang says to Ren “Is your goal to push everyone away? 😒”
So then we see Oscar after and Salem is here... Lovely. She tries to coax information out of Oscar, namely the information about the relic of choice, which Oscar says he doesn’t know anything about, and then she asks about the “password” to the Lamp. And Oscar says that he’ll never tell her that. To which Salem promptly BLASTS him with Magic. So............. Oscar’s not doing well. And he’s REALLY not doing well when Hazel appears and starts beating his shit in. So.......... Farm Boi’s really uh... In a predicament. Salem leaves to let Hazel continue his beating, Salem comes across Cinder and Neo, Cinder asking “What is that? 🤨” Referring to The Hound to which Salem says “An experiment. I am quite pleased with the results. Did you need something? 🤨” Despite being uncomfortable around The Hound, Cinder still says her piece, that she should go back to Atlas and claim the Maiden’s powers and gain the Staff. But she stands firm and says no again and when Cinder tries to stick up for herself, The Hound roars in her face. So she backs off and says, for the second time, “Without you, I am nothing.” Which is very interesting that that’s a recurring thing between her and Salem. So, she leaves with Neo to an air ship and says “Salem doesn’t know those children like I do, they won’t ever stop their attempts to save the world.” and her plan is to go to Amity... Ya know... where Penny is, and Pietro is. And then Emerald steps up and says “Well if she [Neo] doesn’t wanna go, I will.” and says that she’s been working on her semblance and that she can help. Great. Just what Penny needs. Hallucinations and Illusions >_>. Cinder, sweetie, love you but I don’t think this is the plan Salem’s GONNA find out .-. she literally has eyes everywhere <_<
And then we see RNBW+May show up to the Schnee Manor so they can help Nora. Whitley isn’t happy to see them but seeing as he got Myrtenaster put in his face he quickly agreed to let them stay there 😊. While Weiss Nora and May are going to, presumably, a guest room, Ruby and Blake have a brief conversation with Blake saying “You know if you’re worried about Yang you can try calling her 🙂.” And we find out that Ruby DID try to call her, which is cute.
After that the scene changes to reveal team JYR found shelter, good :3 and that Yang found something to fix the damaged bike that she and Jaune were on, also good ^_^. Jaune TRIES to talk to Ren but it doesn’t work because Ren is too busy being angry at the world. Which... Don’t get me wrong, fair. I’d be angry too. But if my friend, practically my brother for how long? 2, 3 years? Was trying to tell me to try to open up, I’d open up to him. Like, maybe he was a little uncomfortable with Yang being there, but after Jaune said “Hey the more you bottle up your feelings the worse it’s gonna get.” Ren immediately went outside, so he could’ve gestured Jaune to follow him so they could talk. But they didn’t. Instead, Yang and Jaune talked ^_^ So I mean I’m okay with this lol. Yang asks Jaune “Do you think she thinks less of me? For not going to Atlas...” And Jaune says “Ruby is your sister. She’s gonna love you even if you disagree 🙂.” Which is true :3. But Yang wasn’t talking about Ruby. She was talking about Blake. Which is interestiiiing ooh bees :3
So the episode after the Jaune and Yang talk, Jaune saying he wants to go to sleep but can’t stop thinking about Oscar, and Yang says not to worry and she’ll be sure that Ren doesn’t “Brood himself to death” which I found funny lol. After she says that, the camera pans to the ground to some cracks in the ground. Which then rumble. So................. Damn it Ren your angst is gonna cause another giant Grimm to appear >_>
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masterweaverx · 3 years
Text
One of the big problems that has been pointed out with the Winter Joining Salem theory is that Salem has no motivation, currently, to seduce Winter to her side. She has the skills, certainly, and Winter’s emotionally compromised, but right now Salem thinks she’s got this in the bag.
Except...
What Salem doesn’t realize is that she’s practically hemorrhaging followers. Tyrian and Mercury were sent off to Vacuo. Emerald’s definitely going to turn, Hazel might consider it, and Neo’s loyalty hasn’t even been bought yet. The Hound is dead, and Watts is going to get offed by somebody--either Ruby’s group for hacking Penny, or Cinder because she wants the Winter Maiden powers and self-terminating would prevent that. Cinder’s still going to be very loyal, but she’s also going to be supremely rattled that Emerald waltzed off with the Relic of Knowledge.
So that leaves Salem with an unstable Fall Maiden, a very sullen giant that tried to kill her, and a mute girl who’s already not too pleased with her workspace. Not the best conversationalists. Also a bunch of Grimm but, you know, if that were enough why surround herself with actual people?
What I think might happen is that she won’t try to recruit Winter at first. Winter’s going to bring the Ace Ops in with the bomb, plant it on A Very Vital Structure, then while they’re getting out they run into Salem. And Winter says “Go, My Comrades, And Remember My Name, For Today I Shall Stand And Buy You Time To Escape From The Greatest Evil Of The World!” because she’s really not in a good place right now and what’s more heroic then sacrificing yourself so others can live?
(This will incidentally also lead to a moment between the Ace Ops and JOYR where the kids say “And you just LEFT HER BEHIND?!” and the Ace Ops say “She ordered us to!” but feel very guilty about it, which will also lead to them defecting against Ironwood down the line when he just brushes past Winter’s sacrifice with ‘okay so here’s the new plan’ type rhetoric. But that’s besides the point.)
Anyway, Salem’s going to tank a few hits from Winter, compliment her form or whatever, then knock her out and throw her in a cell. And THEN she’s going to discover that surprise, surprise: Ozma and the Relic are both gone! As is Emerald. Not too hard to connect the dots there. And then Cinder’s going to come back and say “So, uh, yeah. Ruby killed the Hound and also Watts and that robot managed to break free from the hack with the power of Love or something, also some other plot stuff happened. Hey, where’s Emerald?”
Around this time, Robyn Hill will lead her revolutionaries into Ironwood’s office and say “Sir, you are the most incompetent tyrant I have ever had the dishonor of opposing, and by the popular demand of Atlas Citizens I and the Happy Huntresses shall depose you and take over the newly formed Kingdom of Mantle.” And also reinforcements arrive. This isn’t too important to Salem, but she realizes that this would be very important to Winter, and she’s feeling a hankering for getting a new servant since her current batch is not up to par.
Winter has been trapped in a cell for a few hours but then, DRAMATICALLY, she finds a way to open the door! Clearly the best plan is to escape and report to Ironwood that the bomb didn’t work, so she goes out to do that... and then she sees all the News Articles saying ‘Ironwood deposed, Robyn Hill is our leader now’ and she’s like “No! Not Ironwood! That horrible woman must have done some horrible things to my Perfect Father Figure General!”
“Yes, she must have,” agrees Salem from right behind her. “Also,” she adds as Winter whirls around, “she doesn’t have all the training Ironwood did. Do you think she knows how to run a city? Or to command an army? If she stays there, well, Atlas is basically mine... unless...”
“Unless what?!” Winter pleads desperately, running on too little sleep and too much anti-pain medication.
“Well, I’m only here for the Staff of Creation,” Salem points out. “I get that, there’s no reason for me to stick around, you know.” She shrugs. “But, hey, who would care for the future of Atlas anyway? I mean, without Ironwood--”
On that magic word Winter straightens. “I will bring you the staff, and you will leave Atlas,” she says, as though it’s her idea.
Salem smiles. “Oh my. How decisive. Get to it then.”
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astaroth1357 · 3 years
Text
Lucifer!! Who Shrank Me?!?
IT’S DONE!!! Finally! Man this was like pulling teeth! And guys, I’m almost out of titles (which means the series is drawing to a close). I think I have ONE more left in me, but it’ll be a doozy so don’t expect it too soon.
This is part of a multi-part series, (here’s the Masterlist) placed after “Lucifer?? Who Shrank You??”
(Okay.. How do I shrink the Lord of Hell, his butler, two angels, and an all-powerful sorcerer in one fell swoop…? uhhhh… Oh! Okay! Here we go!!)
Intro: 
It was all going according to plan. Satan finally got a handle on that size-changing book from before and he was ready to get Lucifer with it right in front of Diavolo. He more than anyone else was pissed that the eldest demon managed to stay hidden from his Lord during the shrinking fiasco that struck the brothers last time, but now there’d be no escape for him! He left the book at the bottom of a stack at Diavolo’s seat right before a big meeting between the demons and the exchange students... Knowing Lucifer, he’d pick up the stack to move it out of the way then BOOM- tiny!Lucifer right in front of Diavolo! It was perfect!...
... Okay, maybe there were some unforeseen holes in the plan. Like maybe the Demon Lord came in talking to one of the exchange students or his butler instead of Lucifer like he expected… And someone other than Lucifer decided to pick up the stack and now they’re three inches tall… Yikes… 😬
Who was it?
Diavolo
Look, he may be royalty but it's not like he’s frail or anything! He saw the books on his table and just picked them up in order to move them out of the way. The next thing you know, the all powerful ruler of the Devildom is the size of an index finger…
Nearly gave Barbatos a heart attack when the Young Lord suddenly disappeared from sight. If you think that Lucifer would be pissed, try Barbs on for size... Satan will be paying for this little prank ten-fold.
Diavolo is in oddly good spirits about it though. Like, between Lucifer and Barbs it’s not like he’s going to be in any danger so why not enjoy it?? He even got to order Lucifer to let him sit on his head during the meeting! (to the eldest’s chagrin…) 
And just like that, Lucifer became even more of a babysitter than he already was.... 🙄
Tiny!Diavolo still somehow manages to carry himself pretty well despite the new size, though it might be helped by the fact that Lucifer glares daggers at literally anyone who even smiles at him while he’s like this…
The Little D’s were thrown for a loop when the Lord came back even smaller than they were! He and the whole lot of them pretty much form a tiny gang of troublemakers and start messing around the Castle when Barbs is distracted…
Lucifer came by one night to find tiny!Diavolo Tarzan swinging from one of the chandeliers… He later had to pull out an extra large bottle of Demonus to get through that one. Tiny!Diavolo is not good for Luci’s health...
Barbatos
What sort of butler would he be if he didn’t move those books for his young Lord? It wasn’t his fault that Satan hadn't thought things through!
Speaking of Satan, he’s not exactly pleased with his new size (how in the world is he supposed to get anything done like this??) so he and Lucifer agree it’s within the young Lord’s best interest to have a replacement butler… (sorry Satan… 😥)
And he’s with the hot-headed blondie every step of the way. Literally sitting on his shoulder and commanding him to do this and that on threat of… honestly who knows what because Satan refuses to repeat it… 😰
To everyone who’s not named Satan, though, Barbatos is still very much Barbatos. He may be relying a little more on the Little D’s and his new slave Satan to get things done but the Castle still looks as good as ever.
Having tea with tiny!Barbatos is both oddly peaceful and really unnerving... He still orders Satan around to do all the pouring and serving with the presence of a drill sergeant, but his tiny-self is surprisingly relaxed when speaking to guests. It's probably because he can’t do very much personally… It’s like he’s actually getting a break, forced or not. 🤷‍♀️
His only big irritation is that he can’t cook while he’s this size and, let’s face it, Satan is no Barbatos in the kitchen. He may be no slouch, but it’s like comparing a state champion to an Olympic gold medalist…
Any time Satan has to prepare meals for Diavolo, it’s like he has a mini-Gordon Ramsey shouting in his ear and it’s VERY stressful…! There's just no mercy for the poor guy… 😞
Simeon
He was just trying to be polite and move those books for Diavolo while they were chatting… Why in the world is he so small now??
Luke turned into a blubbering mess upon seeing him because of course, of course, OF COURSE demons would be behind doing such a terrible thing to his brother/father/mentor/guardian man!! How dare they!!! 😡
Simeon… is kind of chill though. Sure he’s shocked and not very happy about it but there’s always a bright side to every bad situation!
He gets to be carried by Luke or the MC around RAD now. It’s just like what he used to do for tiny!MC but in reverse which is certainly refreshing. And Luke is just too adorable when he tries to “protect” his fellow angel from demons, cats, and everything in between. It’s very sweet. 🤭
Since one of Lucifer’s brothers shrunk him, he was able to subtly convince Diavolo to leave the angel’s protection outside of school up to Lucifer himself (which means he can’t keep ignoring him anymore!)
It took some time for him to wear the demon down, but truth be told, seeing tiny!Simeon and Lucifer palling around is sort of adorable… Any time Lucifer thinks they’re alone it’s almost like there was never any war to start with. They’ll just shoot the shit about old stories or embarrassing stuff Michael’s been up to... Dream come true for Simeon!
Of course, it all goes right back to normal the second that Lucifer notices that there’s someone else around. Unfortunately, the man’s damn pride won’t let him admit that he may actually miss his old friends… But a few hours of having the old Luci back is more than enough for Simeon (at least for now).
If he’s not with Lucifer, then he’s with the MC literally playing the part of their “shoulder angel.” No sinning when the angel’s watching, MC, because otherwise he’ll be very disappointed in you... 🤨
Luke
He’d never be caught dead helping a demon! Royalty or otherwise!!
...he just moved those books so Simeon or MC didn’t have to while the group was chatting… Yeah. Totally.
Which is how the Devildom was graced with an itty-bitty Luke… like, ittier-bittier that all of the other tiny!residents by at least an inch!
Between Simeon freaking out and poor Luke crying in confusion about the whole thing it was really just a mess at first… 😥
Luke doesn't like being tiny at all! He was already the shortest person there and now he feels so small and unsafe... He's terrified some demon will come by and just gobble him up! 😣
MC has to keep an extra close eye on tiny!Luke because the brothers WILL try to mess with him if they get the chance. The only exception is Beel, but even he will extort the little angel for cake if Luke gets too snippy with him...
Luke needs the most help compared to all the others (duh). Boy is like the anti-Satan, he can't problem-solve for shit… If they leave Luke on a table and he'll be completely stuck there. He’s too scared to try and do anything too daring on his own so please keep an eye on this itsy-bitsy bean… 
His little cakes are adorable though! Like, it was really hard for him to make them when he was big, but at his current size (and a little help with Simeon and MC) he can make just the cutest micro-cupcakes! (Don’t tell Beel though, or he’ll order a trillion… 😰)
Solomon
Recognized the size changing book at the bottom in an instant (it’s his book, after all) but picked the stack up anyway.
If you thought that Mammon being small was bad enough, now there’s a tiny!Solomon running around… Devil help us… 😣
Is he using his tiny size to get up to all sorts of shady shit? Probably. It’s really hard to tell because he’s damn good at staying hidden... (You think this is his first time getting shrunk? Oh please honey, he’s a veteran.)
Oooor, he may be using a “Oh, MC! Look at what the brothers have done this time! Woe is me...” ploy to get the MC’s undivided attention for a while…(Who the hell knows?)
He doesn’t NEED help really because he can magically levitate and shrink everything that he wants down to size, but no. He helped the MC through their shrinking adventures, (“Help” is, admittedly, a strong word for “taking advantage of a situation he technically caused” but you know) so it was time for them to return the favor!
The MC finds some benefits to having a pocket sorcerer though. Hanging out with little Solomon is like having a Swiss Army knife to life! The guy has a spell or a convenient connection to tackle right about anything that comes their way!
These “favors” don’t come free though… He fully expects repayment each time and he’s not Mammon, Grimm ain’t going to cut it. His requests are a lot more… uh…
Well, the MC has now learned how to recreate a number of Solomon’s signature dishes which include such enduring classics as: jellied tuna, cheesecakes made with actual nacho cheese, and something they’ve dubbed “Literal Death” which is just tamales stuffed with paste made from ground Ghost Peppers… Hope it all was worth it...
Check out my Masterlist for more!
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cherryartemis0 · 4 years
Text
Leona Kingscholar SR Story Translation 1/2
I officially hate Epel’s text. I’ve just about enough of his nonsensical words. I was able to make something out of them, but there is one that I couldn’t understand. You’ll see what I mean.
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Grimm: It was so difficult to make that drug in Magical Pharmaceutics. What Crewel has us do is so mean.
Grimm: If you weren’t paired with Epel, you wouldn’t have met the submission deadline. I’m so lucky!
MC Choices:
     Thank you.
     As expected.
Epel: Shouldn’t you thank Rook? We couldn’t have done it without him.
Grimm: Right, we’re going to submit the finished medicine! Give it to me, I’ll turn it in!
Grimm: I was even complimented for completing the task! ルンルン♪ (A sound one makes when happy)
MC Choices:
     Don’t get ahead of yourself.
     I have to look ahead.
Leona: Oh shit. Raggie’s bastard, I could wake up during club activities…
Epel: Ah, look out!
     *The two collide*
Grimm: Ow!
Leona: Ah? I thought an insect flew in…but it’s a hairball.
Epel: L-Leona…!
Leona: Epel…and the herbivores of the bad dormitory. It suddenly jumps out. (オンボロ means “bad” essentially?)
MC Choices:
     Do you know each other?
     I’m sorry, dormitory student. (It says 「うさの寮生すみません」so…)
Epel: We’re in the same club…the Magical Shift Club.
Grimm: …….Gah. (Sound of surprise)
Epel: Eh?
Grimm: The thing is…the drug we made yesterday! Everything spilled out!
Epel: Where!? We only have 1 hour until the submission!!!
     (He says どへば with よ as the exclamation in the first line, and that translates to “Where are you” so…)
Grimm: W-Where? Anyway, it’s not my fault!
Leona: Hey, don’t care about what happens, let it sink through. That’s when I go the Magift Field.
Leona: Epel. If you’re in the Magift Club, then you don’t have any issues.
     (In Japan, they like to shorten words. “Magift” is short for “Magical Shift.”)
Grimm: WHAT~…I don’t care! That’s fine and all! But I’ve worked very hard this time.
Grimm: The reason it spilled is because you bumped into us!
Leona: Aa? Listen, it was bad of you to run.
Grimm: No, you…
MC Choices:
     I can’t comprehend.
     Both of you were wrong.
Epel: I guess they say so. Abeguchi…Ah, that’s not the case.
     (Exhibit A)
Grimm: Let me tell you this. I’ve failed again and again, and I finally made it…we can’t remake it in one hour!
Epel: I’ll have to tell Mr. Crewel about our situation and ask him to extend the submission time.
Grimm: He isn’t going to extend the deadline! It was decided that you must take on the challenge with a smile.
     (I don’t know what that was about)
Leona: If you let Crewel leave, you’ll be able to “wait” for the pill, right?
Grimm: I thought of something else~~! I’m going to explain it to Crewel with Leona!
Leona: I’m busy.
Leona: Well, why don’t you appeal with a pathetic cry as much as possible? See ya.
MC Choices:
     Ruthless
     What will we do now?
Epel: Yeah…well, this is troubling.
Epel: How will I explain this to Rook…
Leona: Hey, wait a minute.
Epel: Ow. W-What…Don’t grab my arm so suddenly!
Leona: What did you do now.
Epel: Eh? I’m in trouble….
Leona: Later, later.
(This was weird)
Epel: Rook will scold me…
Leona: Why is the name of that annoying guy being put into this?
Epel: Rook is the one who helped me create the spilled medicine.
Leona: Rook? Can’t you tell me what the idiot who doesn’t understand the story is studying?
Epel: Rook, he studies magical pharmaceutics.
Grimm: “I’m a student of Pomefiore, so we need to be able to completely dispense,” he said.
     (Weirdly translated)
Epel: Even though he taught me how to make it today…
Epel: if he finds out we spilt the drug….
Leona: …
Epel: Grimm. Along with Mr. Crewel, I’ll have to report the incident to Rook too.
Epel: I’m sure he’ll ask why we failed, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be digging the roots….
Leona: Wai-
Leona: Hey!
Epel: Eh? Uwah!
Grimm: My heigh increased! Wa-hey!
Grimm: Leona, don’t carry me like luggage!
Epel: Oh, please put me down!
Leona: I’ve had just about enough of this.
Leona: You’re not running away, you’re coming with me.
Leona: …or, would you like me to carry you?
MC Choices:
     I’ll follow you!
     I’m fine on foot!
Leona: Good. Then let’s go.
93 notes · View notes
razorblade180 · 4 years
Text
interdimensional dads 5 (Finale)
Orange, Blue, and Purple all make a drum roll on the table as they stare at Red, who is sipping coffee and trying not to laugh at the lunacy that is quite literally, himself.
Jaune: Y’all dome?
*drum roll stops*
Jaune:Yep, your turn. You have to be the buffest for a reason right?
Jaune:And look like you’ve seen shit?
Jaune:We’ve all been through shit. We’re us!
Jaune:Yeah, but you’re you.
Jaune:How- I’m not arguing with that one. Okay, my turn. Since you brought it up, we, I gained weight for a little bit and eventually got back into a workout routine. I might’ve went a little overboard but no one complains.
Jaune:Alright, now we can back this story up and start from wherever you like.
Jaune:Aight, I guess I start with my universe beating Salem. By that point, Ruby and I had been together for awhile. I think we were always together to a degree ever since RNJR formed. We obviously didn’t actually say anything but the time we spent felt different. At least for me it did. Maybe mourning Pyrrha had something to do with it but by the time Yang and Weiss showed up at Haven, Ruby and I were definitely on “friendly terms”
Jaune:Aaaaayyyyeeee!
Jaune:You two are too much. Haha, let him continue.
Jaune:We were trying to keep it lowkey but I’m sure everyone knew. Back to Salem, that was insane. If you were to tell me I’d help save the world when I was only 19 then I’d laugh.
Jaune:Wait...19? I was twenty.
Jaune:Same.
Jaune: I was 21! Are you saying Ruby beat Salem at 17!? That’s insane! Which one of us has the strongest versions of our friends? I never thought about it until now.
They all got silent and thought about it for a moment. That was a very good question.
Jaune:Ummm mysterious voice? Do you have an answer to that?
[Each person varies, but a majority is between Orange and Red. For example, Orange has the strongest Blake, while Red has the strongest Sun.]
Jaune:What about in terms of team RWBY?
[The feats in all universes make that a close race. Red, Orange, and Blue have extremely powerful Yangs that would most likely in a brutal draw. Collectively, the strongest team RWBY would be a tie between Red and Orange]
Jaune:Makes sense, my worlds peaceful.
Jaune:And mine doesn’t have any organized threat against it, just the dangers of living in a world trying to grasp the concept magic and gods again.
Jaune:Well we might not have a concrete answer but I’m sure my wife beats your Ruby. After beating Salem we continued traveling the world to thin out grimm threats, just the two of us. Not that the others didn’t want to but they needed a moment to breathe. Ruby and I however, we were kinda on a high of being the heroes we always dreamed of.
Jaune:Your victory lap was more adventure? Yeah you’re definitely built different from me. My Ruby went on missions but even she took a minute just to breathe. It was a very short minute, but the minute none the less.
[Comparing the two is like comparing an lone apex wolf to a jaguar.]
Jaune:Well then....all of that sounds scary.
Jaune:It wasn’t long before we got a house together. Built it actually, in Vacou. It’s a nice little spot over looking the town and another one in the distance. When Ruby was 19 she had really gotten into her stride and was only getting started. Also, I married her. I had known for awhile that she was the one so why wait? I wanted to go on all of her adventures and create new ones with her.
Jaune:Aaaaawwwww
Jaune:Things were like walking on sunshine. All of Remnant knew about Ruby Rose, the huntress that saved the world with her friends. Then at 21, I got her pregnant. *scratches head*
Jaune:I know that scratch. That’s the “My bad” scratch!
Jaune:Okay, it wasn’t exactly planned. I was thrilled when I found out since I did want kids with her. I learned a month after she knew though because she wasn’t sure what to think at first. Ruby was perfectly happy being the hero, she hadn’t even hit her prime yet technically. When she told me though, it was after she had talked about it with Tai and thought about it. I think she might’ve been happier than me.
Jaune:My Ruby would give anything to have a kid.
Jaune:Mine would give anything for her husband back...
The mood suddenly got a little less cheery with that statement.
Jaune:Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring the mood down.
Jaune:It’s fine...this next part....isn’t happy. It’s the reason I fell out of shape, and partly the reason why I look like I’ve gone through shit.
Jaune:Oh....no...
Jaune:You lost the baby?
Jaune:Yeah but uhhh, not the way you’re thinking. The pregnancy was fine, the birth was a little rough but it was fine. A little baby boy, Dustin Arc-Rose. I saw him for about five minutes and then he was stolen, by Neo and Cinder. I must’ve ran the fastest I’ve ever had that day. Faster than even Ruby can move on a good day, and yet they got away. Yang, Weiss, and I stood on the roof of that hospital and watched the airship fade into the sunset. I must’ve stayed up there for hours, screaming. Yang and Weiss kept it together for my sake but not by much.
Jaune:Dude I am....I am so sorry that you went through that.
Jaune:We showed mercy to Cinder the day we beat Salem. It came back to bite us. Things fell apart after that. I shutdown, the others felt guilty, especially Yang. As for Ruby, she broke a little. She looked longer than anyone else for a lead and drowned herself in work for about a year. In that time we didn’t talk, I never knew where she was, if she’d come back. Tai ended up taking me to live with him and unfortunately, time wasn’t gonna wait for anyone. Lives had to be lived, Yang and Blake still had to get married. It just didn’t happen with Ruby.
Jaune:How did you even find the strength to keep going after that?
Jaune:In my world, Yang is my closet friend. Thick as thieves, the two of us always try to pick each other up. She never hesitated to be by my sad whenever I asked. I don’t think I could’ve made it without her since Ruby was gone. One day however, the two of them showed up out of the blue. Ozpin had decided to confront Ruby. For once I was glad he meddling in our lives. He got her to start moving on and come back to me. That day I realized how special my friends are. Most people would’ve looked down on me for failing, not going after Ruby, breaking down, but not them. They wanted me back on my feet for my own sake. Just like they wanted for her. I’m really blessed.
Jaune:That’s good. Friendships that you want to live for, I’m glad we wall have that in common.
Jaune:Yeah. Ruby and I took some time to be together after that. No work, no leads, just healing. In that year she was gone, Ruby had become a juggernaut in the huntsman community. Even got a nickname, The Storyteller. Keeping up with someone like that meant getting back into shape. Those months we spent together gave us a slither of the joy we had missed. Eventually, thanks to Yang having her child, we found the courage to try having another one. Her name is Carmine and she’s my gorgeous daughter. We even have another son much later named Garnet.
The other three Jaune’s clap happily.
Jaune:Yeah, that’s definitely a lot of shit to go through.
Jaune:Hats off to ya.
Jaune:How’s Carmine?
Jaune:*puts head on the table* Uuuugggghhh!
Jaune:Yeah, that’s sound you make when you have a headstrong daughter. Who does she take after?
Jaune:That’s just it, she doesn’t really. Not in personality anyways. Carmine is a bit weird socially. She can be pretty blunt, making her sound rude. She doesn’t mind having friends but at the same time keeps them at arms reach. She says they would slow her down. Not to mention her and Ruby’s vision of what a huntress should be doesn’t match up perfectly so they end up butting heads on occasion. Still, Carmine is sweet if you know how to talk to her and understand her words.
Jaune:She gifted?
Jaune:*inhales*....Carmine is genius in battle. We taught her ourselves and sent her to regular school so she gained a bit of social skills. No one outside of selected few knows she has silver eyes. Carmine wears red contacts typically. New types of grimm pop up regularly so Cinder is obviously alive and well. Can’t be too careful.
Jaune:Sounds stressful. I’d rather deal with cult and my world’s grimm problem than Cinder. How old is Carmine?
Jaune: She’s 17 and more impressive than Ruby was at that age if I’m being honest. Though I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. We’ve done our best to give her a normal childhood as much as possible. I think what we gave was an odd mix of normal and insanity.
Jaune:Honestly, same.
Jaune:What do you mean Carmine is more impressive? Ruby was awesome since day zero at Beacon.
Jaune:Silver eye use, age five.
......
Red took a sip of his coffee while everyone tried to wrap that around their head.
Jaune:Since a young age, I knew Carmine was special. She has a difficult time showing up but she loves the Remnant we’re trying to build and the people in it that want to do good. I’ve seen her look out over cities before and I could feel the immense desire she had to preserve it. That girl has a strength I don’t think I could take credit for. That stern look, height, hair, and guitar skills though, That’s me. The tipsy of her hair are red though. She’s like a half ripe strawberry, hahaha.
Jaune:Sounds like an incredible girl. Must be pretty popular.
Jaune:If she could come off a bit nicer she would! I’d give up Pumpkin Pete’s for life if this kid could learn to work well with others. I’m glad people like her cousin and a couple of others that can deal with her. It’s not all bad. They know to bring out the normal teenager with her.
Jaune:Is she like Ruby and panics at rats?
Jaune:No, but she can’t deal with spiders. We have grimm spiders that are actually terrifying and that ruined normal spiders with her too.
Jaune:Grimm spiders? How big? A boot size?
Jaune:SUV....one spun her in a web. It was really bad.
Jaune:Fuuuuuuck that! I’d hate spiders too!
Jaune:Yeah but she has fun. Ballet, sleep, horses, etc. You just have to get her to work up to it.
Jaune:What about your son?
Jaune:Garnet? He’s five, has fat cheeks, and is probably eating some dry cereal right about now. He’s Ruby’s little teddy bear and is chillin. He’s probably the only thing that makes Carmine a big softie at the drop of a hat.
Jaune:Sounds like you’re doing pretty well for yourself? That’s good.
Jaune:We have struggles but we make things work somehow.
Jaune:I still can’t believe Cinder killed your kid. I don’t think I’d ever recover.
Jaune:Lost....we lost a kid. Killed wouldn’t be the right word. Dustin...just isn’t....it’s complicated. I don’t wanna talk about it.
Jaune:Sorry.
Jaune:It’s fine. That aside, I think most things life throws at us, we’ll handle just fine.
Jaune:What do you think Carmine is up to right now?
Jaune:Good question. I don’t think she’s on any mission or working with local authorities currently. If it’s morning then she’s in the garden. Playing with Garnet if it’s the afternoon so he’ll tired out. If it’s night time then.....
xxxx
“STAY AWAY!!!” A man screamed, shooting four bullets down a dark alley in the middle of the night. His target, a pair of shimmering red eyes that patiently stalked him from the shadows as he sprinted away. Each bullet seem to go right by his target so he continued running for his life, making a sharp right turn around a corner.
“You know eventually I’m going to catch you right?” Carmine said as she walked. “I’d rather you not make this longer than it has to be Tommy. We could be done by now if you just spoke to me.”
The only response the girl received was the sound of footsteps getting further away and a chain link fence being shook. Carmine sighed and looked around her before picking up a trash lid. She hurled it against a wall to her left and that was ahead in front of her, making it bounce off towards the right. The hunk of metal made its way around the corner with a whack! Followed by a heavy thump that hit the ground. Carmine continued walking until she turned the corner and found her target on the ground. He was rubbing his back in pain and groaning.
“Come on, I know I didn’t hit you that hard. The new head of crime orginization wouldn’t go down so-”
Suddenly the brute lunged at her, revealing a previously concealed dagger. Carmine was quick to react however, and grabbed his wrist before the blade could make contact with her exposed stomach. Carmine then twisted his hand down word and forced his entire arm slam down to the groun; the blade pierced the ground at her feet. Thick yellow liquid secreted from blade and soaked the ground.
Tommy felt his stomach dropped as he looked up to see the young girl staring down at him unimpressed. He went to reach for the knife but Carmine placed her boot on his hand, hard.
“Gah!”
“See? Now that’s what I was expecting. Too bad you’re not so good with knives. I guess you figured you didn’t have to be when it had Deathstalker venom in it huh? Now... let’s talk.”
Carmine rubbed her foot into the ground, causing Tommy to grit his teeth in pain.
“Stop!” He pleaded. “You’ll break it!”
“It won’t break if you talk fast enough. Tell me what I want to hear. A month ago you weren’t in charge. A tubby guy was and he always kept crates of his equipment in a warehouse outside of town. Then someone apparently shows up to have a meeting, tubby is enraged and kicks them out. Now he’s dead and you’re in charge, moving all of his stuff after you had a meeting. Are you getting the picture I’m painting?”
Tommy’s face goes pale. He starts struggling harder to free himself but it’s not working. Carmine can see the man start to sweat as if he got caught in the rain.
“Now I know what you’re thinking, if you tell me who obviously threatened you to move the crates, then they’ll kill you. But that’s the thing about the future Tommy...”
Carmine lifts her foot and swings it right into his face. She watches Tommy hold is face in pain before rolling him over and putting her knee on his back. Carmine grabs the knife and spooks him by stabbing it beside his face.
“It happens later. Focus on the present. Focus on what I could do to you right now and how to prevent that. Then you can think about your future.” Carmine said, not an ounce of playfulness in her voice.
“I....I....w-well I-”
“Before you try lying to me, I know how Deathstalker venom works. Only the babies are venomous and those are extremely hard to find here. Admittedly I don’t know you well but I know your men. They don’t have the patience or brains to find any here, because there aren’t many. So you either got the venom for this knife by being very diligent, going to a different continent, or someone got you the critters.”
Carmine leaned in close, barely away from his ear. “Or should I say made you some, instead of gathering them? Tommy, where is Cinder Fall?”
Tommy felt like he could vomit at any second. He couldn’t let intel leak. He sold his soul to a witch and now he has to live with it. “I....I can’t say.” He whispered, his lip trembling.
“I see. The fear is too much for you. Should’ve chose a different line of work. Maybe you’ll change your tune if you learn to fear me more?” Carmine grabbed the knife. “This won’t kill you but I doubt it’ll feel good either.”
Carmine lifted the knife and held is hand in place. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. She tried asking nicely. “Sorry....”
“CARMINE!” A loud voice echoed through the alleyways and made the people in it freeze. Tommy tilted his head up and got goosebumps. On the roof was a person everyone knew and criminals wish to avoid. Ruby Rose, he hadn’t seen her in person before. The woman’s cloak covered the area as she jumped down gracefully.
With no noise, her heels hit the ground and stood before the pinned man. Her piercing silver eyes borrowed into him and her long hair blew out of her face by the alley draft. Tommy’s back freed of Carmine’s knee and the young girl raised him to his feet. While Ruby’s expression was calm and oddly inviting, Carmine still looked at the man annoyed. Time was valuable and he was wasting hers. He might’ve escaped the knife but now he was stuck between two women that could all but erase him.
“Y...You’re Ruby Ro-”
“I had this under control by the way.” Carmine cut him off. “Don’t see why you intervened.
“You had him terrified and about to wet his pants. That’s a bit much don’t you think?” Ruby put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “No need to be so intense.”
Carmine mimicked her mother’s gesture. “And we care about the state of people like him why? Lackeys and gang bangers with too much ego have no right to be coddled when they’re rotting the city away from the underbelly. People like that might as well disappear.”
“Carmine that’s not how....” Ruby let out a long sigh and looked at Tommy. He was clearly trying his best to remain calm. “Sorry about her. You know teenagers, always intense in one way or another.” She let out an embarrassed chuckle.
Tommy flinched again when suddenly a burst of red petals spun around him. Next thing he knew, handcuffs were on him and his back was against the fence he tried to climb earlier. The pair of red and silver eyes stared him down from just out of the shadows. Yet he could still see Ruby’s more positive demeanor.
“I’m going to jail?” He groaned.
Ruby stepped towards him. “Depends, Tommy.” She reached out and grabbed his shoulder. “The thing is if you go to jail and I bring you in, Cinder will no doubt send someone to try and kill you. Truthfully, it’s not a bad outcome, for me. I’ll just attack your killer and get more info out of them then you most likely.”
“But...you’d stop them before they kill me, right?”
Ruby shrugged, “I can only go so fast. Who knows what could happen, Tommy. Can you take that chance, knowing you will be at the mercy of circumstances around you for gods know how long?”
“N...no” Tommy gulped.
“I mean I could let you run away right now like nothing happened, but any more meetings with Cinder would be absolute hell on your nerves because there’s no way you can keep this from her. What’s worse, you could fuck up and give us information accidentally overtime and then she’d really be mad because we’ll keep an eye on you as long as you’re doing things we don’t like; an unwilling pawn for both sides until someone knocks you off the board. How does that sound to you?” Ruby’s grip got a little tighter.
“Pr...Pretty bad-
“PRETTY BAD!?” Ruby shouted. “Tommy, you will not come out of this well. You’ll probably be dead within the month if I let you leave right now. So my question is what are you gonna do to save your own skin? Because I know what I would ask for in your situation.”
“What’s that?” He asked, almost desperate for his freedom
“I would spill my guts out to the hero because they would at least try to keep you safe if you behaved. Tell me what you know and I will personally take somewhere where you’ll have a fresh start with a new name, a new life that isn’t Illegal. You’ll still sleep with one eye open just to watch your own back but you also know there’s someone who is actively stopping the person who’d want you dead in the first place. Get off the chessboard Tommy. It sucks to be an expendable pawn.”
Tommy could feel her hand trembling. Was she...nervous? No, she was sympathetic. The way Ruby looked at him wasn’t to scare him. She was stating facts and didn’t want him being another statistic. This was the huntress everyone talked about. The one that gives lifelines and creates new endings where they shouldn’t be possible. The was Ruby Rose, the storyteller.
xxxx
Ruby holds up an envelope to the light before facing Carmine, the sound of waves rocking a boat behind them with Tommy in it. Ruby was a woman of her word. She’d take him somewhere safe.
“Here” she held out the envelop for Carmine. “Take it home, no need for me to lug it across the sea.” She waited for Carmine to say something, anything. The girl only nodded and took the thin piece of paper.
Carmine started to walk off but heard Ruby take a step towards her before stopping. She looked back to see her mother frowning, an expression they were both sharing. Ruby looked at her daughter with her emotions clear as day. It was weird to be eye level with her. Without heels, Ruby would be looking up. Carmine had gotten so big the last few years. It was hard not see her as still little.
“I...I know we don’t agree on certain things, and I also know you feel like I helicopter over you. I don’t do it because I don’t trust you or anything like that. Fact of the matter is...I’m your mother. If I can find a way to solve a problem without you doing something drastic, even if you’re willing to do it, then I’m gonna step in. Just because you’re willing to make the tough calls, doesn’t mean I won’t try to keep them away from you. They weigh people down and I don’t want that for you. You’re my daughter, I love you...”
Ruby always hated their fights. It’s why they don’t do missions together. No matter how strong Carmine is, she’ll always be Jaune and Ruby’s little girl. Truthfully, she didn’t hate it at all. Carmine hated arguing too, if not more.
“I get it mom, I do. Perhaps...I was a tad hasty tonight. Thanks for...showing up.” Carmine scratched her head in embarrassment. Since when did talking to her own mom get so rough. “I love you too.” There, she said it.
Ruby gave her daughter a gentle smile and opened her arms, hoping for a hug. She knew she might be getting a bit too mushy right now but unexpectedly, Carmine walked over and embraced it without question. Ruby wasn’t about to complain. Any affection was welcomed at all times when it came from Carmine. Ruby finally let her go and got one more look at her daughter. Time sure does fly.
“My beautiful girl. I saw the trash lid truck by the way, that was pretty badass.”
Carmine playfully rolled her eyes and opened the evelope. Ruby watched the girl read over the paper several times before handing it back. “Got it.”
Ruby’s eyebrows perked up in surprise. A shocked smile came soon after. “You’re-”
“Of course.” Carmine cut her off. She put her hands together and made a glowing red rose form between them. She placed the thing right behind her mother’s ear and smiled. “See you at home?”
“Yeah, I should be back before morning.”
“Good, I’ll have breakfast waiting for you then.” Ruby watch her daughter start to walk off before Carmine slowly blew away into red and yellowish rose petals.
“My oh my, that daughter of mine.” Ruby chuckled. “I can’t wait.”
xxxx
“Done.” Carmine said, rewriting the information down as she layed on the couch. On top of her was her adorable baby brother, fast asleep like he should be. She reached for a candle that lit the room and blew it out. All in all, not a bad night in the slightest. One step closer to their goal. One step closer to the end.
Part 4
Wanna start Rosebud < Part one is a click away.
62 notes · View notes
calliecat93 · 3 years
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Well didn’t get this done before Chapter Five came out, but I’m still MUCH more caught up than I had been. Good thing they’re going on a six week break here soon since that’ll not only let me catch my barrings... but let my soul have a break, GOOD GOD THESE PAST TWO CHAPTERS HIT HARD!As far this specific chapter goes... boy I did not expect me to shock me as much as it did. So w\let’s not waste anymore time and jump right into it.
Overview
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Robyn is recalling a story about Joanna in prison, but neither Jaques or Qrow are all that into. But she does manage to get Qrow to finally smile, as well as notice him still holding Clover’s badge. She apologizes for what happened, which lets Qrow vent about the entire fiasco and how for the first time in so long, it felt like he had made a connection without having to fear his Semblance ruining it. Robyn... actually understands, herself having been ostracized due to her lie detecting Semblance making people fear her revealing their secrets. Harriet and Marrow enter, throwing Watts ack into his cell. Harriet doesn’t believe Qrow declaring his innocence, even when Robyn offers to use her Semblance. Robyn also calls Harriet out on essentially blaming others and not caring about the truth since it’s easier for her to not accept her own blame. Before Harriet can act, Marrow stops her and the speedster storms off/
Back in the tundra, JYR are still giving chase to The Hound, Jaune even launching Ren at it. It doesn’t work and The Hound even calls for backup, summoning more Grimm. It leads to a giant chase sequence, including a new song that IDT has a title yet, but it is dark as Hell. The chase ends with two of the bikes being destroyed, Yang and Jaune almost falling over a cliff until Ren uses his grappling features to save them, and the three are forced to watch as The Hound escapes with Oscar in it’s clutches. Back up in Atlas, RWBNM have gone to, surprisingly, the Schnee Manor to lay low and tend to Nora. Whitley is less than pleased, especially with what Weiss did not even 24 hours ago in-show, but Weiss makes it clear that they’re not leaving and she sends him to his room. As Weiss and May tend to Nora, Blake sees Ruby worried about the others. She suggests that Ruby can still call Yang... but there’s one problem, Ruby already did.
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JYR are out of signal range, forcing them to make their way back to Mantle on-foot. During the trek however, Ren’s closed up attitude is flaring up, which eventually causes Yang to get on his case. Ren i9s frustrated due to not just losing Oscar, but everything that has happened. Losing the Relics, Ironwood’s betrayal, the current Grimm attack with Salem just outside the doorstep. Even with yang pointing out their accomplishments and admitting that they have made mistakes but still pulled through, Ren’s anger flares as he points out that they are WAY in over their heads. Jaune tries to calm them both down, but Ren continues to point to how Ruby is leading them despite still being a kid, he himself is an orphan form the middle of nowhere, and the biggest shock is him getting after Jaune for forging his way into Beacon. This shocks everyone, even Ren himself, but Jaune simply says that he’s getting out of the cold and walks on. Yang asks if Ren just wats to push everyone away before following, leaving Ren shocked and upset.
Meanwhile... oh boy, this scene. Oscar wakes up and standing right across from him is Salem. She addresses Ozma and how long it’s been since she’s seen him and... yeah it’s pretty unsettling. Oscar tries to act like Oz, but Salem sees right through it and tries to get Oscar to give her answers. He genuinely doesn’t know where the Beacon Relic is, so Salem tries to get the password to the Lamp out. When he tries to use the ‘out of questions’ ploy... Salem uses her magic to... magically torture him... yeah it’s... rough. Oscar still doesn’t talk, so Salem brings out Hazel... you know, the guy who hayes Oz probably more than anyone and has sworn to kill him? Yeah...
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Cinder meets with Salem, taken back by The Hound which Salem calls an experiment. Cinder again tries to convince her to let her go after Penny, but Salem again orders her to stay put. Cinder agrees... well, verbally anyways. But she knows that the heroes are likely going to still try and launch Amity, so sh decides to go for the Maiden Power anyways. Neo is less than thrilled with this plan, but Cinder has another person willing to help her: Emerald.
Back in the tundra, JYR have found shelter for the night and Jaune admits that Ren is correct about how he cheated his way into Beacon. But he’s since realized that he was above his mistake and tries to convince Ren to not push them out, knowing fully well how all that it does is hurt you more. If it did any good, Ren doesn’t show it as he goes to sit outside. Yang has found a part to fix the bike and also assures Jaune that she knows that he worked hard to get to where he is now. She starts working on the part before asking Jaune if ‘she’ thinks any less of her. Jaune, assuming that she means Ruby, assures her that they’re sisters and will be fine... but Yang was talking about a certain cat girl. Our episode ends here... but not before showing us the ice nearby beginning to crack... thanks a lot CRWBY!
Review
Like I said in the intro, I didn’t expect this chapter to shock me like it did. Did I expect intensity? Of course, especially after the last chapter? Did I expect what we got? Nope, but it was perfect!
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Let’s talk about Ren first. Ever since last volume, it’s been clear that he’s been unraveling. He wasn’t engaging in Nora’s antics anymore, was more closed up than usual, seemed in agreement with Ironwood at one point, and of course his mini-breakdown in the finale Not even Nora and him kissing helped, heck considering what happened after it only seemed to make him worse. Even now he’s at serious odds with Nora for the first time since childhood, something that is clearly bothering him despite him keeping it to the chest. He’s trying to keep his focus on his duty, but with everything going more and more wrong, the facade is not only shattering, but the cracks are causing him to push those close to him away.
His argument with Yang was a tense moment. I like it though. Not only for more unique character dynamics, but out of every character Yang will lay it out as it is. If Ren’s going to have an attitude problem, then she will call it out and not give a damn about the reason why. Since Nora can’t get though to him, the harsher approach is kind of the only thing left. Ren’s breakdown was hard to watch... and he is right to an extent. They are in over their heads. Their decision, even if the right one morally, is creating more problems and endanger more lives. Ruby is still a kid and she’s placed far too much on herself. I think he is underestimating himself and the others about not being ready, but his concerns are completely understandable and he has some good, if harsh, points.
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But then he brings up Jaune cheating his way into beacon. Yeah, been a while since that came up, huh? I actually gasped when that came up. While Ren clearly didn’t mean for that to come out, the fact that he did when pointing out that they’re way over their heads does display at least some doubts he has about his leader. JNR have grown close over the past few volumes, Ren and Nora essentially considering Jaune family by the time of Volume 6. So hearing this was hard, especially since all that Jaune was doing was trying to calm him and Yang down.
I do, however, like how Jaune reacted. Back in the early volumes, he likely would have taken it as a blow to his confidence and gotten huffy about it. Now? While the blow clearly stung, he keeps himself in check and keeps focus on finding shelter. Then once there, he outright admits that Ren’s right and tries to comfort him. He tries to advise him on opening up and how closing yourself off doesn’t help. Considering that he tried this both in V1 when we found out how he cheated and after Pyrrha died and only getting better when he allowed others to help, he absolutely knows how Ren feels. But the fat that he handled this so maturely and tried to help his friend instead of get angsty about it shows how much he’s grown. It’s really nice to see.
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Now let’s talk about Weiss and Whitley. So this got some... mixed reception. Some were upset about Weiss pointing her weapon and Whitley and her general harsh behavior towards him this chapter. Now I do understand the first part since I was similarly annoyed at Yang for threatening Qrow in Volume Six when all that he was trying to do was be reasonable about the Lamp. It was likely too harsh, but in farness Weis sis not only trying to help save the kingdom, but one of her teammates is in critical condition and she has no time for Whitley to be angry at her. The Manor is the safest place at the moment, and she needs to get Nora care now. Not saying it’s a justification, but it isn’t her being mean for the sake of it either.
But even so... guys I’m sorry, but do you seriously expect Weiss to suddenly forgive and coddle Whitley this soon? After years of him belittling her and rubbing his success in her face while she was punished, not to mention seeming more concerned about the family reputation than the current conflict? I’m sorry , but it’s not that simple. Yes, Whitley is also a victim who was manipulated and groomed by his father and unlike Weiss, he was never able to get a proper support system or have any family to help like how Weiss had Winter. I do feel bad for him, and I do think that Weiss will take her mother’s words form the last volume and will help Whitley later in the volume. But they’ve both hurt each other. Whitley by treating Weiss badly, and Weiss not giving him support like she was given. They’re both victims AND hurt each other. Some try to paint it as one is problematic and the other is an innocent child, and that’s simply untrue. They’re only going to realize that if and when they talk out their problems with each other out, it’s just a matter of when it’ll be. It takes time to mend these kinds of things, sadly.
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Next is the villains scene... ho boy. So I’m gonna wait on Cinder for the next chapter, but her ignoring Salem in favor of power isn’t a shock at all. No, let’s discuss Oscar. Just... this poor, poor kid. He’s trying to be brave, but seeing him get tortured and especially the screaming?! Aaron Dismuke, why do this to me you jerk?! I do admire him for trying it imitate Oz and keep his composure, but it was just so... brutal to watch. Salem doing it so calmly and being perfectly willing to wait for the answers since she can just make Oscar suffer is... well, evil. And don’t think I missed her with the shadow versions of her daughters. Some say that humanizes her, but since she remorsefully tortured a child and sicked an emotionally unstable brute to physically harm him without a care in the world... no. It didn’t excuse Ironwood, and it sure as Hell isn’t excusing Salem. Tis just makes her all the more terrifying.
Okay... last thing is that scene at the end. The Bumblebee implication scene. So... I won’t lie it did annoy me at first. Before anyone says anything, it was NOT because of hating the ship or anything stupid like that. I’m not a huge Bumblebee fan, but anyone who keeps saying there’s nothing there at this point is living in denial. It’s happening people and since at least Volume 6, I think they’ve been doing it pretty well. My issue is mainly just because... we’ve had plenty of Bumblebee content. Volume 7 had them together in pretty much every scene, and I just don’t like having a pair of characters limited like that. I had the same issue with Renora, especially in Volumes 1-3, and with shipping in general. The main reason though is that I want there to be some more focus on Ruby and Yang because I feel like it’s been a long time and that there is a genuine conflict between them that can bring some interesting things for both. I’m not saying they need to be at each other’s throats, but siblings DO argue and no, it doesn’t always get easily resolved and I am speaking form experience here. To be fair it could happen later and Ruby herself hasn’t been pondering on it that much either. Heck Blake seemed more concerned about it than either of them have. But I would like to see more than just the one pair that I’ve already seen focused on plenty of times because it’s limiting. That’s just a personal thing though and I’ve always enjoyed sibling stuff more than romance, so yeah just a me thing.
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That being said, those saying that Yang doesn’t care about Ruby need to calm down. No, that is NO the case. Did we forget Yang trying to console a broke Ruby despite her own grief just last volume? Mere hours ago in-show at that? Despite what I said above and while she’s clearly concerned after Ruby’s recent choices, Yang still loves and ultimately trusts her sister. She never said that she didn’t think that Ruby would fail or was wasting her time, she just felt like Mantle needed them more and the consequences to trying were too much. Heck this is a spoiler, but considering her reaction in the next chapter, it only reinforces that belief. At least with Blake, this is the first time they’ve willingly split apart and Yang clearly still has some abandonment issues and concerns. Plus... yeah, it’s natural when you have feelings for someone to worry if they made a bad choice that may make them doubt them. Blake won’t, but it’s understandable. Heck, Blake was clearly concerned about Yang when trying to get Ruby to call. I think she was trying to comfort Ruby as well with the suggestion, but it was still pretty evident... also Ruby and Blake interaction, yay! Still yeah guys, let’s just... chill a little bit and see what more comes of anything.
Okay, got that out of my system, and I apologize if it came across wrong. Whatever annoyance I had I’m over anyways, especially after the recent chapter. Anyways, the chapter had so much good. Plus we not only had a badass chase sequence, but a new song! Again, IDK the title, but it was another banger for sure. The opening scene with row and Robyn bonding and Robyn calling out Harriet was great. Marrow’s subtle expressions showing how not okay he is, and I’m seriously hoping that he may be the one to free the others. It would be a really good move for his character in him deciding that being lawful doesn’t equal the right thing, and making it right especially considering his interaction with Robyn last volume. The animation was good with the backgrounds looking fantastic, the pacing has been on fire, and of course that ominous ending. God they’re trying to keep us on edge, and I love it!
Chapter Stats
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Favorite Character: Lie Ren Favorite Scene: Ren losing it in the tundra Least Favorite Scene: Probably the wrong term, but seeing Oscar be tortured while well done was hard. Favorite Voice Actor: Neath Oum (Ren Favorite Animation: JYR chasing The Hound Rating: 9.9/10
Final Thoughts
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This was fantastic, especially in the character department. I haven’t been this shocked in a good while. It hurt no doubt, but the writing and voice performances were so well done. Seriously, this is probably Neath’s best performance to date. Add in the great animation, the tone being on point, and the set-ups with the Schnee Manor and cracking ice and the fact that this is only Chapter Four is crazy. But it’s only going to get crazier people... oh so, so much crazier. Only one review to go until I’m back to being caught up... my poor heart XD
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brokenmimir · 4 years
Text
The Curse of the Golden Hoard
White Rose Week 2020, Day 5: Curse
In Vale, success breeds misfortune as readily as failure.
(Sequel to The Ruby Eye of the Serpent King)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/24718948 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13615480/1/The-Curse-of-the-Golden-Hoard
Weiss rolled her eyes as Yang threw the door open, the solid oak banging against the interior wall loudly, drawing the attention of all of Beacon. Normally she would've been angry at the brute attracting the potential ire of as many dangerous people as routinely visited the small tavern, but in that moment she was too elated to care.
Still, appearances had to maintained, even if her heart wasn't in it. “Yang…”
“Sorry, ice queen,” Yang sang. “Guess I forgot my own strength. How 'bout I make it up to everyone with a round of drinks on me!”
“Yeah!” the room cheered, and Peter Port smiled behind his thick mustache as he began preparing drinks for the relaxing crowd, who were all discretely tucking away the weapons they had prepared against the forceful entry.
Yang strutted over to their usual table, throwing the heavy sack she'd been carrying down on it, making it clink suggestively for those with an ear for gold. Blake did the same, and then Ruby as well, until all three looked at her expectantly. Finally, with a long suffering sigh, Weiss heaved her own sack onto the table, privately enjoying the sound of their new fortune.
“We're going to be robbed the moment we step out of here,” Weiss complained as she sat down, an unrepentant Ruby hopping onto her lap with a grin. Weiss grunted a little at the weight, as for as petite as she looked, the barbarian girl was all densely packed muscle, built lean and wiry for maximum speed and agility.
“Like anyone can take us,” Yang snorted. “I don't know about anyone else, but I'm feeling good tonight!”
Blake grabbed their drinks, a glass of mead for Ruby and red wine for Weiss, and soon all four clinked their glasses together. “To friends and family!” Ruby cried.
“To a job well done,” Blake added.
“To having fun,” Weiss put in.
“To being filthy stinkin' rich!” Yang crowed, and all four downed their drinks. “Hey Port, another round on us!"
“There's no way we're going to make it back in safety after this,” Weiss said. “And you'd better not dip into our haul to pay for all of this; we haven't even divvied it up yet.”
“Ugh, you are such a killjoy,” Yang groaned. “Come on, live a little! When are we ever gonna get this much again. And it wasn't even illegal!”
“Well, not very illegal, anyway,” Blake drawled. “I'm sure we broke some laws. You can barely breathe in Vale with pissing off some magistrate.”
Weiss hummed thoughtfully. “The tower was probably owned by someone, for all that it's been abandoned since the Grimm attack centuries ago. Furthermore, we are supposed to declare any salvage for tax purposes. So on at least two levels we broke the law.”
“Ugh, Vale sucks,” Yang groaned, before taking a swig of her ale. “Of course, I can't party like this back home. Even if I brought back this good've a haul somehow the elders would've just taken it to 'spend on the village' and I'd be expected to go right back out there.
“So not that different,” Weiss chuckled. “Except here, everyone's so corrupt that no one is going to report you for not following the law. It's just a matter of if you can keep your ill gotten gains.”
Hours later, drunk with success and alcohol, the four girls staggered out of Beacon and onto the filthy streets of Vale. Not even stepping over a mugged corpse could get Ruby down that evening. Nothing could distract her from how right everything felt.
When she'd first arrived in Vale five months before she'd been an outsider, a barbarian unable to understand or accept anything about the city she'd been warned about her entire life. The first person she'd made a real connection to, Weiss, hadn't really simplified things, as the beautiful woman had represented everything her people had looked down upon about the city folk.
But somehow, after those few short months, full of combat, wealth, deprivation, magic, fear, and joy, they had bonded more strongly than she ever thought she could with an outsider. She spent more time with Weiss than she did her own sister, despite both of them being in the same city. And somehow, she wouldn't change a thing.
“Hey, which way should we go?” Yang asked, as she casually slugged an opportunistic moron in the jaw. His head snapped around, teeth flying, before he collapsed bonelessly onto the ancient cobblestones.
After pausing to rob the thieves of the few coppers they had, Blake pointed down the street. “Ruby's place is closer.”
“It's my flat,” Weiss grumbled. “I'm the one who signed the contract for it."
“Ruby's sounds good,” Yang agreed. “Come on sis, let's go crash you're place and split some loot.”
Weiss grumbled a little, but Ruby could tell that it was mostly for appearances, and even that stopped when she moved close enough to rest her head on the other woman's shoulder. Weiss actually blushed a little, which Ruby found more than a little funny. Weiss had no shame at all about nudity or sex, but honest, public affection made her quite embarrassed.
Once Yang and Blake had dealt with the criminals who had seen or heard about their largesse and its probably cause at Beacon, they made good progress, soon arriving at Weiss's apartment building. Unlike the cheap flophouses and rundown hovels that populated most of the poorer part of town, it was a newly renovated building, one only two blocks from the nicer living spaces that surrounded the Great Market. Obviously the owner either expected for merchants to be bold enough to make the journey through the crime ridden streets in exchange for cheaper rent, or they thought that the market district would soon grow to encompass the building. Either way, it was far nicer than it had any right to be, and had been available for a price that they could (barely) afford.
Once Weiss had the door unlocked they entered the main living area, and without a word all four began to dump their sacks out in the center of the floor. Coins and small gems made up the bulk of the haul, but a variety of statuettes, jewelry, and idols joined the growing pile. It was an impressive display of wealth, and for all that gold had relatively little allure for her, even she felt herself caught up in the moment, drooling over enough wealth to buy her village.
“Weiss,” Yang said distantly.
“Yes?”
“Remind me to team up with you more often,” Yang sighed joyfully.
Weiss smirked, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder smugly. “Of course. A little bit of research, and enough muscle to make it through some Grimm infested ruins, and we have more money than we know what to do with.”
“Little bit of research?” Ruby asked. “Weiss, you've done nothing but plan this thing for weeks now. I was actually getting a bit worried.”
“Why would you be worried?” Blake asked. “A good score always requires careful planning.”
“'Cause I've never seen Weiss fret over this kinda thing before,” Ruby said. “Usually Weiss doesn't worry about money at all. It was more than a little odd.”
“This was a lot of money,” Blake said, patting her sack.
“Not as much as the snake guy had,” Ruby pointed out.
“No,” Weiss grunted, before smirking. “But this is gold in my home. There's a big difference.”
“Hell yeah, there is,” Yang crowed, scooping up a handful of gold coins and tossing them in the air. “We're rich!”
It was far too late at night when they finally finished splitting the money, and with the help of a few bottles of wine that Weiss had gleefully shared, Blake and Yang were in no condition to walk home, so she graciously let them sleep on her floor near the fireplace for the night. With their own fortune secured in sacks, Weiss and Ruby retreated to their bedroom, where, after a brief moment of thought, she dumped the sacks on the center of the bed.
“What are you doing?” Ruby asked with a giggle.
“Just a fantasy of mine,” Weiss said, removing Ruby's cloak and letting it fall to the floor. With deft, well practiced fingers she swiftly stripped Ruby completely naked, taking a moment to admire her strong, lean form. As she always did she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the scar she'd received fending off an assassin to save her life, before straightening up and shoving the barbarian back onto the bed.
“Hey! Ack!” Ruby complained. “That's cold.”
“If that's another ice queen joke,” Weiss grumbled as she straddled her lover.
“No, I mean, it's like, really cold,” Ruby said. “And kinda hard. And a little pointy.”
Weiss giggled like a child as she hovered over Ruby, sliding a hand through the gold and gems covering her bed. “Ah, come on. I've always wanted to make love in a pile of gold, and this is my chance. You're not going to say no, are you?”
Ruby just smiled up at her. “How much wine have you had to drink, anyway?”
She giggled again. “Way too much.”
Instead of replying Ruby pulled her down, and the two began to kiss, quickly growing heated as hands wandered. Eventually Ruby started trying to pull at Weiss's clothing, and she pulled back, standing from the bed.
“What?” Ruby panted.
“Just stay there,” Weiss said, before slowly, sensually beginning to remove her own clothing. She'd seen many, many dances put on to entertain crowds and rile up guests for more personal services, and while she'd never felt a need to put on such a show for a lover, she put every bit of her grace into it, the slight stumbles her drunkenness caused interfering very little with the display. Ruby's silver eyes were wide open, and Weiss grinned like the cat who caught the canary as she finally stripped the last item away, letting the silken undergarment drift to the ground.
She straddled Ruby again, but before she continued she spotted a piece of treasure sitting beside her lover. It was the appropriate size and shape, and with a wicked grin she picked it up, before leaning down and kissing Ruby again.
“Ack! Cold!”
Ruby wasn't sure what woke her up. Normally after so much mead and intimacy with Weiss she'd sleep the whole night through, but something pulled at her consciousness. It was a cold feeling, and at first she mentally blamed the treasure pile that Weiss had insisted they sleep on like they were legendary dragons. It wasn't quite that, however. The cold was deeper, in her heart, and she found herself shivering despite the blankets and warm body next to her.
Opening her eyes, she couldn't really see anything. It was dark, even darker than it should've been, as normally some dim light made it through the windows even deep in the heart of the night. She swallowed thickly, knowing on some level that something was wrong, although she couldn't put her finger on what. The same deep, primal sense that warned her when a dangerous beast was lurking about in the wilderness told her something was very, very wrong.
“Weiss, Weiss, wake up,” she whispered, still slowly turning her head from one side to the other as she tried to make out something in the pitch blackness. “Weiss.”
“Ughhhh,” Weiss groaned, shifting slightly closer and tossing a leg over her hip. “Again? You're starting to wear even me out.”
“Weiss, something's wrong,” Ruby whispered.
“Yeah, you're not asleep,” Weiss mumbled. “I promise, I'll do whatever you want… in the morning. Just need a… a little more sleep.”
“That's not… ugh,” Ruby groaned as Weiss fell back asleep. With a sigh she pushed her lover away, standing up stiffly and stumbling from the bed, coins and other valuables falling to the floor in a cascade of invisible gold. The sound seemed strangely dampened, however, as the heavy metal should've been louder falling more than a foot onto the wooden floor.
“I am never going to sleep on money again,” Ruby whimpered, rubbing her back and wincing when she dislodged a coin that had managed to embed itself into her flesh. No, she definitely wasn't doing that again, no matter how excited her weird fantasy had made Weiss.
It was hard finding her clothing in total darkness, especially since she'd been a bit distracted by Weiss while she'd stripped her. Once she finally had something on she reclaimed her battle scythe and carefully opened the door to the rest of the apartment, not wanting to risk walking in on her sister and Blake having their own celebration.
Instead, it was pitch black as well, but she could hear muffled snoring coming from the center of the room. “Blake? Yang?”
They didn't respond, even when she called again, and with her heart pounding in her throat she stumbled through the room, heading to where Weiss kept a candle for dark nights. Usually they navigated just fine by starlight, but sometimes her lover wanted to read in the evening, and she had to have something for that.
Normally finding the candle in the dark wouldn't have been difficult, but it felt like she was somehow being watched, like danger was all around her, ready to pounce. The longer she spent in that dark, quiet room, the more she felt vulnerable, like she was being hunted by an unknown predator. With unsteady hands she finally grasped the fine beeswax candle, a gift from herself to replace the stinky, smokey tallow Weiss had been using, and she pulled flint and steel from her pouch.
It was only as she tried to strike the tinder that she realized how badly her hands were shaking. She actually paused in her work in surprise, not quite able to believe it. It felt like it had been years since she'd had such a strong, useless reaction to fear, and yet here she was, shaking like a child on her first hunt. For the first time she was almost glad that it was dark, since it meant that no one could see her weakness.
After taking several long, deep breaths to gather herself Ruby finally regained her control, striking the flint and steel to produce strangely dull sparks. It took several tries, but finally the tinder took, and then the wick thereafter, lighting the candle.
It did almost nothing for the darkness. The large candle should've provided enough light to easily make out the room, but instead it seemed to be little more than a single point in the middle of a deep, dark blackness. She couldn't even see the walls of the room, and it was far from being so large as to make that reasonable.
Something was very, very wrong.
Ruby quickly, methodically searched the apartment. It wasn't very large, but with her light the way it was she had to take her time looking everywhere. Everything was as it should be, with no signs of intruders or anything else strange, other than the muffling of all sound and dampening of all light.
Yang and Blake were still asleep, which she supposed was strange in its own right. Yang was a heavy sleeper, but normally it was impossible to do anything without waking Blake up. Even a shift in the pattern of your breathing would cause her cat ears to twitch warily, but Ruby was able to crouch over her, burning candle in hand, without it disturbing her dreams.
With nothing wrong inside of the apartment, Ruby decided to check one last thing before waking up the others. Opening the door, she crept outside, looking about warily, before heading down to the street. While they were usually dark at night, with most honest citizens (for some meaning of the term) carrying lanterns if they had some business at that late of an hour, the stars and distant buildings usually gave enough illumination for her trained eyes to navigate the streets.
Instead Ruby looked around, frowning at the excessive dimness, before deciding to walk a bit to see where the dimming effect began and ended. She had only begun to walk when she spotted a body lying against the side of the building. She almost moved on, her time in Vale having conditioned her to ignore peopleliving or dead lying in the street, something that had been difficult to get used to after growing up in insular, tightly knit Patch. Without Weiss or Blake around to scold her for it, she decided to check on the person.
They were a woman of more than twice her years, with a face made up with powders and creams to seem younger, if poorly,something severely undermined by black streaks under her eyes. She was dressed in very little clothing, and from what Ruby could guess, were she younger and more attractive, the Weiss she had first met upon arriving in Vale would probably have paid for her services.
She also shouldn't have been passed out in the streets, without any sign of injury or intoxication causing her collapse. Ruby checked her pulse, and was relieved to find it, although it seemed slow, sluggish. She tried to shake her awake, but she didn't react at all, and it was then that she noticed something else odd. The black streaks, which she had assumed had come from tears mixing with kohl, were slimy and thick, and her eyes widened when she realized that their was a black streak on the wall behind her as well. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but if she had to guess, she'd say that the black ooze ran straight up the wall towards her window.
Ruby's fear sharpened, no longer seeming quite so baseless. She might've been able to dismiss her instincts crying out that something was wrong, or even somehow assumed that the muffling of sound and light were only in her head. But this was far more suspicious, and the only thing that kept her from running up the stairs was the burning candle in her hands, and how difficult it had been for her to light it in the first place.
As she hurried back towards the door she noticed two more bodies, this time a pair of laborers, tall and strong, collapsed near the street corner. While the woman may have been taking a break in the alley before continuing her walk or job, they were obviously taken by surprise, simply collapsing on the spot without a word. It was enough to make her speed up her step, using the arm holding her scythe to shield her candle as best as she could from the wind of her movement.
When she reached her door she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, leaning her deployed battle scythe against her shoulder so that she could carefully open the door without setting down her candle. It creaked open, and the gloom within was somehow even thicker, more impenetrable than before. The candle barely seemed to do anything, but she could somehow see something moving in the dark.
“Yang? Blake? Weiss?”
There was no response, but she heard something shifting in the room. Jaw tightening, she stepped inside, carefully shutting the door before her, before raising her scythe, choking up her grip to provide control one handed. It was a poor way to fight, but without better lighting she had no choice.
She slowly made her way across the room, eyes darting about, her heart jumping every time she saw something move, but every time it was simply her eyes playing tricks on her. Every figure was a piece of furniture, every attacker was naught but a shadow shadow, every monster an illusion when examined properly in the dim light.
When she reached her sister she nudged her with a toe. “Yang. Yang… Yang!”
She didn't move, didn't react. Finally, Ruby looked down, only to gasp at what she saw. Trailing down her face were the same thick, slimy black trails, as something apparently poured from her eyes, before being drawn across the room in the direction of the bedroom. One final glance at Blake to verify the same thing, and she was moving towards the bedroom door, keeping one eye on the slime trail while looking around for danger.
She didn't even bother opening the door, simply kicking it open, the loud slam a barely audible thud. Looming over the bed, over Weiss, was the most hideous creature she had ever seen.
It was thin, with long, spindly limbs, the feet coming to a single, sharp point, while the arms ended in three long, slender claws. The rest of the body was like a human shadow, angular and distorted, but recognizable in form, with bony plates scattered here and there, notably a skull and ribs. The face was vaguely human in shape under the bone, with burning red coals for eyes, and a gaping, fang filled maw.
Without hesitating she lunged forward, swinging her scythe in a broad, desperate stroke, hitting nothing but air. Unfortunately, the fast motion made the candle gutter out to almost nothing, and she was reduced to standing perfectly still, knowing there was a monster in the dark, unable to do a thing to stop it. She tried to listen, tried to feel the motion of the air, or see something in the dim ember of candle light, but it was like being wrapped in a blanket of night. All was still, silent, and shadowed.
After far too long the candle finally stopped sputtering, and Ruby turned about looking for the monster once more. It was when she had turned halfway around that she saw it, the thing having moved behind her, ready to attack once more. She swung her scythe again, trying her best to shield the candle with her body, but once again the tiny light failed, and she could do nothing but stand still, desperately hoping to find it before it could attack her again.
Then she felt the claws dig into her back. She reacted instantly to the sneak attack, diving forward into a roll that ended with her swinging her scythe, and this time, finally, she made contact. The monster broke its silence with a loud, terrible screech, which tore through her, scraping her bones for marrow and hollowing out her heart, leaving nothing but ice and fear behind.
This time she could hear it moving, the dullness slightly receded, and she didn't even hesitate, dropping the now completely snuffed candle on the ground as she spun in place, swinging her scythe right towards where she was sure the monster was. She made contact once again, and this blow sheared through something, and a moment later she heard something thump onto the floor, before the shrieking renewed.
Unfortunately her next swing missed, and her follow up hit the wall, so she paused, holding her scythe in both hands, trying to slow her breathing as she listened for the monster once again. She almost lashed out when she heard another sound, only to pause as she recognized Weiss's voice, even if she couldn't hold onto the words passing through her ears and mind. She shuddered, the motion agitating the cut on her back, and then the room was finally illuminated.
Weiss, nude and beautiful as ever, crouched on the bed, her sword in hand covered in a pale, spectral blue flame. She looked weak, her hand trembling, unable to fully stand as she held the weapon as high as she could through her enervation, trying to provide the best light she could. Ruby could see the lines of black slime down her own face, as whatever had happened to the others has been done to her as well.
Then Ruby turned, reacting almost before she sensed it, swinging her scythe once more at the monster. It was looming behind her once more, its left hand missing from her earlier attack, and, finally able to see, Ruby aimed her swing directly towards its neck. The scythe cut through, and the head bounced away, breaking down into the same black ooze before turning into the oily, smokey fog of a dead Grimm, its body slowly following.
“Weiss!” Ruby shouted, lowering her scythe and turning to her lover. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah,” she rasped, raising a shaking hand to her face, rubbing away the slime with a look of disgust. “What the hell was that?”
Weiss had never felt so completely drained in her life. Not after performing all night magical rituals with Cinder and the others, not after the frantic, desperate sword training lessons her sister gave her before she left to become a mercenary, not even after the wild, week long benders that dragged her to half the houses of ill repute in the city trying to forget everything. It was as though every bit of energy had been ripped from her body, leaving nothing but exhaustion in its place.
She'd used what little energy she had left to cleanse and bind Ruby's injury, the process wearing her out so badly that her lover had been forced to dress her, as she could do little more than slowly shift her limbs by the time the process was complete. Ruby had, much to her protestations, actually carried her into the main room, where she set her on a large chair and lit several candles.
Blake and Yang stirred sluggishly, Blake finally sitting up and blinking dazedly around the room. She didn't even seem to the notice the slime on her face, her nearly vacant expression only gaining a little focus when she saw them. “Weiss… Ruby. What happened?”
“Grimm,” Ruby answered. “I've never seen anything like it.”
Blake blink a couple of times, before starting to stand only to collapse when her legs wouldn't support her weight. She blinked down at them, an expression of betrayal on her face, before looking back up at Ruby for answers.
“I don't know,” Ruby said. “Weiss's the same, and I think it wasn't just us. There were some people in the street the same way.”
Weiss gathered her strength for a moment, before speaking, her voice small and weak. “The Grimm must've gained strength by taking ours. Given enough time we'd be dead, and it probably would've expanded the area effected. This whole block probably would've died before anyone noticed if Ruby hadn't stopped it.”
“How come you weren't effected?” Blake demanded.
“I dunno,” Ruby said. “I just… woke up. When this whole thing started. Dunno know why.”
Weiss sighed, leaning back into her seat as Blake and Ruby talked. She was too tired to really maintain a conversation, but she hadn't wanted to lapse into silence while Ruby was obviously upset. She smiled slightly, glad for the diversion, as she let herself mentally drift.
She had managed to fall asleep again, only to awaken when the smell of cooking bacon filled the air. They rarely made their own food, with Weiss knowing nothing about how to do so, and Ruby being limited to roasting fresh game over a campfire, but Yang had somehow picked up some real cooking skills, and when she came back to herself it was to the sight of the exhausted blonde hunched over the fireplace, slowly poking at crisping bacon in a pan, bread sitting on the stone nearby to heat.
“You're awake!” Ruby said.
“Mmm,” she hummed. “Did anything happen?”
“Uh… good news or bad news?” Ruby asked, moving to sit beside her on the seat.
Weiss narrowed her eyes. “How bad?”
“Uh… we're all alive, so it could be worse news,” Ruby hedged.
Weiss frowned. “So, very bad news.”
“Kinda,” Ruby agreed with a wince.
Weiss groaned in dismay. “How about good news… then breakfast… then bad news.”
Yang chuckled. “Gotta recharge before the bad?”
“Well, the good news is we're all alive,” Ruby said brightly. “The Grimm's gone, and the longer they've been up the better they've been feeling.”
“Yeah, you really need to put some meat on those bones, Weiss,” Yang taunted. “You're the only one who fell back asleep.”
Weiss glowered at her, not even breaking her expression when the other woman handed her a plate of food. “I also helped Ruby deal with the Grimm, while you two slept right through it.”
“Details,” Yang dismissed.
As annoying as the woman was, she prepared a filling meal. The fresh, hot bread was slathered with honey and fruit preserves, and the bacon was crispy, just the way she liked it. After crunching on a piece she groaned ecstatically. “Alright… you get to live.”
“How kind of you,” Blake drawled, although Weiss noticed she hadn't even looked up from her own breakfast.
Once they were all finished, Weiss leaned back against Ruby, a smile on her face as she finally felt a bit more human. “Okay, so what's the bad news.”
“Um… maybe it's better if you see for yourself.”
“See for myself?”
“Yeah… why don't you check our room.”
It was another typical night at Beacon, with Weiss nursing her red wine while Ruby sipped at her mead. Blake and Yang had gone elsewhere for the evening, probably driven off by Weiss's smoldering temper. Even most of a day after finding out the truth, her lover still wasn't over it.
“I can't believe it was all trash,” Weiss grumbled again.
Ruby chuckled. “Well, you know… easy come, easy go.”
Weiss glared at her, before sighing and slumping against the table. “But there was so much!”
The golden treasures they'd taken from the abandoned tower had turned out to be anything but valuable. With the Grimm cursing it dead, the treasure had turned out to be nothing but corroded scraps, rusty iron, and broken clay and pewter bits. Weiss hadn't been able to determine whether the fake treasure and associated Grimm had been an intentional trap placed by the tower's former owner, or if it had been something put together by the Grimm seeking gullible treasure hunters to prey upon, but either way they had been left with nothing.
“What's really bothering you?” Ruby asked.
“What do you mean?” Weiss asked, her back tensing slightly.
“Weiss, you're the one who taught me what 'easy come easy goes' means,” Ruby pointed out. “Usually you're the first one to shrug that kinda stuff off. So why're you so upset now?”
Weiss was quiet for a long time, before finally sighing. “You know our apartment?”
“Uh huh,” Ruby hummed. “What about it?”
“Before… before we moved in together… before we got together, I didn't have anything beyond what I could carry,” Weiss said. “Just a belt pouch of money, the clothes on my back, and my ancestral sword. Otherwise, I would fight or steal to fill my pouch, and then find someone's bed to sleep in for the night. It's been… years since I've had a room that required a lease. I haven't… I haven't had a home since I left Schnee Manor.”
“What's wrong with that?” Ruby asked.
“Everything,” Weiss sighed. “And nothing. I guess… I was used to a lifestyle once, where I had roots, and books, and fancy candles, and staff cooking me meals, and a warmed bed ready for me at night. All with a steady roof over my head and no risk of losing it all. Well, no risk until I chose to throw it away. Then I had nothing to lose, but that meant I had nothing at all. I was rudderless, alone in crowds, with nothing to depend on, and nothing depending on me.
“But now… I don't want that anymore. I want a life with you. With a home, and a bed, and the security not to need to run when things go wrong. Money… money had no value to me when my family had so much of it, and no value to me when I needed no more than I could take in a day. But now… now I don't want to risk losing this… this life we're building.”
“I had no idea,” Ruby said, taking her hand. “This has been really bothering you, hasn't it?”
“It should bother you, too,” Weiss said. “Vale chews up and spits people out. That was fine when I didn't care what happened to me tomorrow, but I don't want that anymore. I want… I want a tomorrow, not just a today. And a tomorrow requires more than odd jobs and petty crimes.”
“Then we'll find more.”
“It's not that simple,” Weiss said.
Ruby grinned at her. “It's only not simple if you make it not simple. Besides, even if something does go wrong, I know how to live in the forest with nothing at all. We'll figure out how to get by, I promise.”
“Dolt,” Weiss said, rolling her eyes.
“Hey, who's worrying about silly stuff here,” Ruby said. “You know, you should share this stuff with me. We're in this together, you know? You don't have to worry alone.”
“I- huh,” Weiss said, leaning back in her seat. “I suppose you're right.”
“Of course I am,” Ruby said with a grin. “Now, how 'bout I get us another round of drinks, and then we can figure out what we can do next, since I guess we have to pay money to that landlord guy every month.”
“Sure,” Weiss said with a smile. “Together.”
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